Purrfect Partners
by LordByronMudkippington
Summary: There are four girls - Hanayo, Kotori, Nico, and Nozomi - who don't really know each other. However, they all have one thing in common: they're in great need of guidance. Well, two things: they all now have guardian spirits! Four new guardians have been given their first tasks: guide their charges into happiness. Are they prepared for the task, though? [Art by TheCuriousInferno]
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Notes:** I've had similar ideas to this kicking around for years. Obviously I'm not the first person to think of guardians watching over people, but I thought I'd try it out. I wasn't even planning on making this a story: it was supposed to be a one-shot, but it got slightly bigger in my mind, so I'm gonna split it up as it goes. I wholly believe in the power of puns.

* * *

Yazawa Nico was tired. It wasn't newsworthy at this point, but she was reminded of it by her slowly-closing eyelids. There wasn't time to sleep, though: she hadn't even gotten home yet.

It was important for Nico to keep her energy up. After all, she needed to work to support her family, not to mention go to school and be the cutest girl on the planet. What a exhausting existence she led, truly. So she stopped at the store on her way home and bought an energy drink. They weren't something she bought very often, but she thought she'd indulge herself today. Taking a long, much-needed gulp of the liquid, she walked out of the store, only to be halted by a very strange sight.

Now, normally a cat wasn't 'strange'. After all, there were plenty of cats in the world, and Nico had seen more than enough cats in her lifetime. However, she couldn't remember seeing one with _red_ fur. Looking down at her drink, she wondered if it had been spiked. She had to have been hallucinating. Cats couldn't be red, right? Yet there it was, sitting on the sidewalk and staring at her. It was unnerving. Maybe someone had dyed the feline's fur; that was a possible explanation. Now she felt bad for it. Still, she couldn't spend all night staring at cats: she had a family to get home to. Giving a small wave to it, Nico began walking home.

There was a presence following her, she could feel it. Her heart began to beat faster in nervousness, but the curiosity was too powerful. Taking a deep, calming breath, Nico whirled around to find... that cat following her. "Eh? Are you following me?" The cat just stared up at her, making Nico feel dumb for asking it a question. "What am I doing? I'm talking to a stupid cat." Chiding herself for further wasting time, she turned back around, only to let out a small yelp when she felt a furry paw slap her ankle. Jerking her head down, she could've sworn the cat was shooting her a very annoyed glare. She had never seen an animal with that kind of expression before. "What do you want, food? I don't have anything for you, ya freeloader." That earned her another slap, claws sheathed.

She should have just walked away, but something compelled her to watch as that strange look fell from the cat's face and was replaced with something she could have sworn was hesitation. Finally, and to her great surprise, it leaned in and gently nuzzled her ankle. A small smile formed on her face despite herself: she had never seen anything so awkwardly affectionate. "Do you want to come home with me or something?" There was no answer - of course there wasn't - but it made no moves to leave, so Nico took an experimental step forward. It moved as well, and began to match her step for step as she walked. Looks like that answered her question.

"Alright, ya furball. I guess I can take you in. Don't think I have a bunch of food for you though, because I don't." Ignoring the third slap upon her tired ankle - how did the freakin' cat know it was being insulted? - Nico continued her trek home, the scarlet feline in tow. She had no idea how to explain to her mom that she just adopted a cat.

* * *

Toujou Nozomi had a soft smile on her face. It was an acquired art form, and she was a master at it. She enjoyed smiling, even if her emotions didn't always agree with such facial contortions. If she seemed happy, that could make others happy, and that was enough for her. A slight breeze tickled her skin as she swept the dust and leaves from the shrine steps, making sure it would be nice and clean for any nighttime visitors. While cleaning the part of the walkway that led to the shrine, a thought occurred to her: she had never prayed here.

It wasn't due to disbelief or laziness, it had just never happened, nor had she ever realized that it hadn't. Was there even a point, though? What would she wish for? She tried to push the thought from her mind as she continued to work, but it kept intruding upon her brain, until she realized that her broom had swept across the same cleaned section of concrete six times now. Sighing softly, she decided to just go up there and do it. One wish, one prayer, and she could concentrate fully on her work. A smile returned to her face as she walked back up the steps.

Standing at the shrine, eyes closed and hands clasped in prayer, Nozomi didn't know what to wish for. She did believe in the wishes that came from those who made their way here to pray, and she wholeheartedly embraced the spirituality of it all, but she was a conduit, not a receiver. At least, that's how she saw it: she was to help guide people to fulfill their desires, but not to have such things for herself. Perhaps those thoughts would cripple the mentality of most people, but Nozomi understood that this must be her destiny. Who was she to question the almighty power of fate?

Still, with her mind clouded by thoughts and memories she tried to push down and away, one thought made its way to the forefront. By herself at the shrine, she could give in, just this once. Just this once, she would allow herself this one selfish wish. Her lips moved wordlessly as she prayed, knowing no one would see her. _'I wish I didn't have to go home alone tonight.'_ Eyes open, she looked down at her clasped hands, then laughed softly, letting her arms fall to her sides. Now she could say that she had officially made a wish at the shrine she overlooked, and now she could put that out of her mind and get back to work. The only thing that stopped her was the fact that she, contrary to what she believed, was not the only living thing there.

Nozomi's eyes widened as she noticed something she could have sworn had not been there before: a cat, standing elegantly on the railing on the stairs, maintaining perfect balance and unblinking eye contact. Its fur was yellow; no, that didn't do it justice. Its fur was a brilliant blonde, and she was captivated by its grace. Yes, it was just a cat, but there was something about it that drew Nozomi towards it. As if realizing this, the cat jumped off the railing, landing smoothly upon the ground and sauntering over to the frozen girl, weaving its way between her legs and letting out an almost commanding meow.

"You... you're... so cute!" Nozomi squealed with delight as she leaned down to pet the cat, which arched its back in delight at her soft strokes across its back. She had never seen a feline be so forward with a stranger, but that didn't matter to her. It made her feel special. After a few more strokes across its back, Nozomi stood up and smiled sadly. "Sorry kitty, but I need to finish up here." Reluctantly turning away, she grabbed her broom from where she'd left it and went to finish sweeping.

It didn't leave. Nozomi was pleasantly surprised to find her feline friend hanging around as she swept, as if it was actually interested in what she was doing. That made her work that much more bearable, though it was a bit distracting to keep petting the blonde feline every so often, but the contented purr it let out warmed her heart. The sun had just about set by the time she was done, distractions aside, and she had a feeling that once she left, her feline friend was sure to follow. Once again, her assumptions were correct, as she didn't even reach the stairs before it was upon her, pawing at her leg and looking up at her.

"Aww, do you want me to carry you?" At her words, it meowed happily, and she smiled, a much wider smile than before. Reaching down, she gently picked the cat up, giving no resistance like a normal stray would. _'Then again,'_ she thought as the feline curled up in her arms with another content purr, _'this is clearly no normal cat.'_ No, it certainly wasn't a normal cat, and for tonight at least, it was hers. That big smile never left her face the entire way home. Maybe the Gods _were_ watching her.

* * *

She was going to do it. This time would be it. No more would she hide behind her own shyness. Her heart was racing on its own accord as she took copious amounts of deep breaths, steeling herself for the task ahead. The cruel mistress of shyness had kept her friendless up until now, but she was in high school. It was time to break out and _be_ someone! Of course, there were only so many people who she had facsimiles of conversations with, but this was the closest she would get: a nice girl she had talked to at the local shrine. Well, it wasn't quite a conversation as much as mutual greetings, and she wasn't even sure if the girl had heard her quiet, nondescript hello, but this was what she'd build off of.

Nerves had taken control and forced her to hide inside the arcade until the sun had already set, but now she stood at the bottom step, ready to take the plunge, metaphorically speaking. Each step she took was slow and careful, practically shaking at the prospect of initiating conversation with someone. When she reached the top, and she looked around the area, she didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed that there was no one there. All Koizumi Hanayo knew was that she didn't have the confidence to try another day. With a small sigh, she headed back down the stairs.

She should have already been home, but instead she sat on a park bench and looked up at the stars. No clouds were there to obscure their light, and it was a very pretty sight. Anything was better than reliving her own personal embarrassment. At least no one had been there to see it and wonder what she was doing there. Another soft sigh escaped her lips as she played with the hem of her skirt. Nobody else but her would bother coming to the park this late at night. No sounds reached her ears but the occasional chirp of a cricket, and the loud meow of a cat. _'Wait...'_

Hanayo nearly flew off the bench at the sight of an orange tabby sitting right next to her, with what would appear to be the cattiest smile on its face. Once she'd gotten over the shock, she just stared at the cat, which was meowing at peace-shattering levels. She wondered if this was someone's cat, or just a stray, but then why was it looking up at her so expectantly? With a shaking hand, she reached down and gently began to pet it, rewarded with much quieter purrs from the cat.

"D-do you want something to eat?" Looking at the cat's neck, she noticed that there was no collar adorning it, so it would appear that this one was a stray. At the mention of food, it jumped onto Hanayo's bag with a loud meow, pawing at the zipper keeping it closed. "H-hey! Wh-what are you doing?" The cat didn't seem to be listening, continuing to try to grab at the zipper, and despite not having a good reason for doing so, Hanayo grabbed it instead and slowly unzipped her bag. "Th-there's no food in there- Hey!"

Now there was a cat in her bag. It was smiling at her, in a way that was freaking her out, but she didn't want to force it out of her back. She didn't think it would scratch her, but she wasn't positive about it. "C-come on, I have to go home now." The cat wouldn't budge, seemingly determined to make its new home in her bag. With her third sigh in such a short period of time, she decided to just hoist the bag up and carry the cat with her. It wasn't like there was too much harm in that; the cat sure seemed happy enough with this turn of events, admittedly events that it had kickstarted. Besides, she had always wanted a pet. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.

* * *

Everybody who was sad had a reason for being sad. At least, that's how she thought it was. Yet there she was, sitting in bed and feeling sad for no reason. Wrapping her arms around her legs, she hugged herself and wondered just what exactly was wrong with her. There was nothing physically wrong with her, and she certainly didn't feel ill. Her parents were kind, school was going well, and she never had to want for anything. That sounded like a great life, but despite acknowledging that, Minami Kotori still felt very sad.

Talking to people was pretty easy for her, and she had quite a few friends, or at least what passed as a friend, but she didn't feel... well, special. All her friends were talented, or driven, or just exuded confidence. She, alas, was none of those things. She didn't really have anything going for her. It was like she was just a faceless person, living in the shadows of her bolder, happier friends. It was hard not to think about it, if the soft tears rolling down her cheeks were any indication.

The one thing that could break her from her unhappy reverie was a knock on her door. As soon as she stood up though, trying to wipe the tears from her eyes, she realized that the sound didn't, well, _sound_ like the door. It sounded like the... window? Walking over towards the window instead, Kotori's eyes widened as she saw a big, fluffy, orange dog lying on its back in her yard, seemingly dazed. Had that thing jumped into her window? Wanting to make sure it was okay, she practically ran out of her room and out of the house.

By the time she got outside, the dog was already back on its feet, and once it saw Kotori standing there, it ran over and pounced on her, causing her to squeal in surprise as she fell to the ground, groaning as the energetic canine stood on top of her, barking loudly. "H-hey there." She had no idea how to react to this, nor did she have the strength to push the huge dog off of her. Eventually it got the hint and rolled off of her, allowing her to sit up and catch her breath.

"Well aren't you full of energy?" Kotori laughed softly, followed by a squeal when she felt its wet tongue run across her cheek. "Eek!" There was no shame on the canine's face, just a dopey, happy look, its tongue lolling out. "Did you... try to get through my window?" The dog bounded over to the window and put a paw on it, whining softly. Kotori suppressed another laugh; this dog was absolutely adorable.

"Next time," she put her hand on the dog's head and guided it towards the front door. "Please knock on the door instead." As if understanding, the dog barked and slapped at the door with a paw. It certainly was an obedient dog, if a bit too wild. Before she could say anything else, the front door opened again and there stood her mother, looking down in surprise at her daughter and her new companion.

"Kotori? Was that you, then?" Blushing slightly, Kotori nodded.

"Sorry, mom. I was just teaching this dog to knock on the door instead of the window."

"Uh huh... And where did you find it, exactly?"

"Right outside my window." Kotori pointed to the exact spot it had been before it had barreled her over. That part she could leave out. "It's so adorable, though. Can I keep it, mom? Pleeeease?" She clasped her hands together and gave her mother the best pleading eyes she could muster.

Her mother pretended to think about it, rubbing her chin in thought. "I don't know, Kotori. A pet is a big responsibility-"

"I can do it, mom! I'll be the best dog owner in the entire country!" Her mother laughed as she placed a comforting hand upon her daughter's shoulder. She had been convinced.

"Well, if you truly believe so, then so do I. Take good care of your dog now, Kotori."

Kotori's smile was nearly blinding, and it made her mother's heart swell with pride. "Thank you, mom! Thank you thank you thank you! Ohh, I have to think of a name, and we need to go to the pet store, and-" She went on like that for awhile, only stopping to acknowledge her mother's request that the dog stay outside until it was properly trained. Kotori hated to leave it outside all night, but when she looked out her window before bed, it was standing right there, that same goofy but lovable expression on its face. Feeling confident that her new pet wouldn't bolt away in the night, she closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep, sleeping surprisingly well.

* * *

 **Author's Notes (2):** You may have noticed one member missing. Well, that's because odd numbers. Seriously though, she'll be in the story. Just not in the guardian/charge way. You may have also noticed that one of the four is breaking the whole 'purrfect' pun mode here. That has a simple enough explanation in chapter two. Such a rebel, really.


	2. Chapter 2

"Honoka, we talked about this..." A woman with brilliant blonde hair rubbed her temples gently with her fingers, giving a stare of clear disappointment towards a younger woman, one with ginger hair and a very guilty smile on her face. "We were all going to be felines, remember?"

"I know, but..." Honoka pouted cutely, though her eyes sparkled playfully and betrayed her faux-hurt. "Dogs are man's best friend, right? And I want to be Kotori-chan's bestest friend!"

The blonde sighed softly, having already known that keeping the team on point was going to be difficult. Unfortunately for her role as de facto leader - not to mention her personal sanity - Honoka was always doing things at her own pace, in her own way. Though, despite all that, she had to admire her friend's eagerness. She could tell Kotori would be very happy with her new 'pet'. "Your intentions were very noble, Honoka, but we really need to establish consistency among us." Honoka cast her eyes down at the table they were sitting at, gently scratching the back of her head. She didn't want to dampen the poor girl's enthusiasm, but it was important for them all to follow through on what they agreed on.

"Sorry, Eli-chan."

"Well, there's nothing to be done about it now." The two women turned suddenly when they realized the third member at their table had finally spoken. The youngest of their little group, she lifted her head from its resting place between her arms and ran a hand through her fiery scarlet hair. "Until her charge gets over her problems, Honoka will just have to be a dumb dog."

"That's so mean, Maki-chan!" Honoka was back to pouting again, but Maki just ignored her, letting out a low groan as she let her head fall back onto the table. With a soft, understanding smile, Eli gently ran a hand across her friend's back, who didn't respond. It was clear that out of the four of them, Maki had the hardest first night. She hadn't told them what happened yet, but it was obvious from her frazzled, unkempt hair and dulled violet eyes that it had not been a very comfortable night. Speaking of the _four_ of them, though...

"Honoka, do you know where Rin is?" That got the ginger's attention, who looked left and right before craning her neck to look backwards.  
There were supposed to be four of them at the table, but Rin seemed to be running a bit late.

"Ahh, I don't know-"

"Sorry I'm late!" There she was. Eli and Honoka smiled as their fourth and final member rushed over, leaping completely over the table and landing on the last empty chair, Maki nearly falling off her own chair as she jerked her head up in fright. "Tada!"

"Rin, be careful!" Maki shouted in exasperation, not even getting a slightly guilty look from the rambunctious girl. Her position was further compromised by her two other friends covering their mouths so as not to allow their laughter to be heard. "Hmpf, of course you'd be late on your first day." With that, Maki put her head back down and returned to quietly sulking, hiding the red dusting upon her cheeks.

"I didn't mean to be late, but Kayo-chin was having a tough time sleeping."

"Kayo-chin...?" Eli tried to force the faint smile on her lips down, since she had to go back to being the voice of reason. It was cute, but... "Don't you think it's a bit early to be giving your charge nicknames, Rin?"

"Aww, I think it's cute!" Honoka chimed in with a big smile, ruffling Rin's messy orange hair. Eli could have sworn the action got Rin purring like a cat, appropriately enough. Though, despite Rin's proclivity for the occasional cat sounds even among friends, she wasn't the one Eli most considered 'cat-like', though she would never say that to the person in question's face. Which reminded her: they hadn't heard exactly what had Maki so exhausted. Curiosity got the best of her. What was it they said about curiosity and cats...? Probably nothing important.

"So, Maki," Eli began, hoping she hadn't fallen asleep. "Wanna talk about it?" At first, Maki didn't give any indication that she'd heard, making Eli wonder if she truly had passed out. Finally though, with a reluctant grunt, the redhead pushed herself up and narrowed her eyes at the blonde.

"She has siblings." _'Oh.'_ That would explain it. She knew that getting Maki to properly interact with other people was a work in progress, and this was probably not going to help matters. On the other hand, Rin seemed ecstatic by the news.

"Ooh, you're so lucky, Maki-chan! I wish Kayo-chin had siblings. Then there'd be more cute kids for Rin to play with!"

"They are _not_ cute," Maki hissed, grimacing at the implication of her being 'lucky'. "They're so... grabby. They wouldn't leave me alone, and my stupid charge wouldn't call them off!" Eli gave Maki's shoulder a gentle squeeze until the younger girl calmed down, the redhead taking a deep breath before training her eyes on Rin. "Why didn't you get her instead? You're the one who's best with kids."

"It's basically random, Maki. You know that." Eli, the voice of reason as always. Maki grumbled, but didn't respond any further. She knew, but that didn't mean she had to like it. The table went silent for a moment, the other three already well-acquainted with Maki's moods, but now none of there were sure how to proceed. At least, not until Honoka spoke up.

"Did any of you get your names already? I haven't yet, and Kotori-chan's mom made me sleep outside." Honoka stuck her tongue out, still miffed at not being allowed to be inside with her charge. "She said I needed to be 'properly trained' before I could come inside."

"I guess you'll never get to go inside, then."

"Maki-chaaannn!" That got Eli and Rin laughing, and even Honoka eventually joined in. Maki only gave them a slight smirk, but that was as much as they could expect.

"Besides, it's not as if you're going to spend your nights there. It's not that big of a deal."

"That's not the point! It's the principle of things!" Maki just raised an eyebrow at the words, but Eli understood what Honoka was getting at, even if she silently agreed with the young redhead. She needed to get things back on track, though.

"I was given the name Venus." Eli smiled fondly, tracing a finger across the table in a circle. "It's such a beautiful name, don't you think?"

"It totally suits you, Eli-chan!" Rin agreed, bouncing up and down with excitement at the current topic. "Kayo-chin named me Onigiri! 'Cause she really likes rice. She told me so."

"So that must mean you taste really good," Honoka commented without thinking, tapping her cheek with a finger. She didn't quite notice the embarrassment coming from the others due to her uncensored thoughts. "Oh! What about you, Maki-chan?"

"Eh?!"

"Did you get a name too?" Maki didn't respond immediately, but the rising hue of crimson rushing to her cheeks made it pretty clear just what the truth was. "You did, didn't you?"

"N-no. Not at all." She crossed her arms firmly, but everyone's suspicious stares forced her to look away, anywhere but at their inquisitive faces. "Stop looking at me like that!"

"Maki-chan, you're not fooling anyone." Rin had the biggest grin on her face, a grin that Maki did not like one bit. "Come on, spill it."

"No."

"Makiiii-"

"Not a chance."

"Oh come onnnn-"

"Rin." They all looked at Eli, who was looking at them with a stern expression on her face. "Don't pressure her. If she doesn't want to tell us, she doesn't have to." Maki looked at her with stunned relief, while Rin and Honoka silently pouted. They were slow to see the sneaky smile forming on Eli's face. "We can just take a trip to her charge's house and find out ourselves." The idea got a round of applause from Rin and Honoka, though Maki was less than thrilled. Her face fell as she stared at Eli in horror.

"Eli!" With a huff, Maki still refused for a few more seconds, then finally relented, unwillingly of course. "Fine, she did. Uh, she... sh-she named me..." Whatever answer she gave was mumbled and absolutely unintelligible to her tablemates.

"Could you speak up, Maki-chan? We didn't hear that." Rin gave Maki an innocent smile, unfazed by the glowering glare she was getting.

"She named me Princess, okay?!" Immediately her face turned a very lovely shade of red, refusing to make eye contact with any of them. Eli tried her hardest to not bust out laughing, for the sake of her friend's fragile ego, while Honoka felt her face might split in half with how much she was grinning.

"That name is perfect for you!" Rin laughed, patting Maki on the shoulder. "You're such a princess."

"Am not!" She was shaking now, and Eli made sure to give her shoulder another harder squeeze to keep things from getting out of paw. Err, hand. Out of hand. They still had a little bit of time before they needed to be back with their charges, and she wanted to make sure things were relatively peaceful until then. Being guardians, they had an innate sense to know when they would be needed, which allowed them to spend time together outside of their new homes, a fact that Eli was glad for. It wouldn't be as memorable an experience without her friends to share it with.

The group split into two groups, with Honoka and Rin bounding off to who knew where, while Eli gently steered Maki somewhere quieter. "You shouldn't let them get to you, Maki."

"I know, I know." Maki grumbled and crossed her arms, subtly glancing over towards the blonde. "Are you sure we can't trade?"

Eli laughed softly, resting her hands on Maki's tensed shoulder. "Don't you think our charges would be a bit suspicious when their cats magically changed fur colors?"

"I'll dye my hair."

"That is definitely not how it works."

"Dammit." Letting her hands fall from Maki's shoulders, Eli pulled the redhead into a hug, getting a surprised squeak of hesitation, but no pullback.

"Don't worry about it too much, Maki. You're going to be a great guardian, I know it." She smiled as her friend tried to hide her blush. For someone who always tried to act so cool, calm, and collected, it was so easy to turn her face red. "Besides, I don't think blonde is your color." Maki just rolled her eyes, slipping out from Eli's arms and beginning to twirl a lock of her hair.

"You know, that's the first time you let me hug you." It wasn't that Eli went around forcing people into hugs, but Maki would always push away from any such displays of friendly affection. Maybe the redhead was finally opening up to her.

"J-just don't go making it a habit or anything." Maki turned around and tugged on her hair, trying desperately to will away the blood rushing to her face. It was a futile effort. This was progress though, and Eli would keep working with that. She knew that they all meant a lot to Maki, just as much as she meant to them.

"We should probably get back." She didn't fail to notice the tension return to Maki's body. "Remember Maki, don't let your charge's siblings get to you. You've got this. Just... don't do anything rash. They're only children."

"Like turning into a bear to scare them a bit?" Maki looked over her shoulder at Eli, a small smirk on her face. "I would never." With that, she began to walk off, leaving Eli with something very important to worry about.

"You're being sarcastic, right? Maki? Maki, you better not be serious about that! Do _not_ turn into a bear in front of your charge's siblings!" All she got in response was a slight wave, and then she was gone.

"Harasho..."

* * *

The sun was shining when Kotori woke up, sitting up and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She'd had a very strange dream where she was dancing in a maid outfit, but now her thoughts were occupied with one question: was her new dog still there? While she had felt that it would stay put through the night, a new morning brought fresh worries to her mind. Quickly standing up, she rushed to the window and looked outside, fearing the worst.

There was nothing that could wipe the smile from her face when she saw the dog still there, sitting and staring at her with its tongue hanging out. Opening the window, she quietly beckoned the canine over, who eagerly bounded over and stuck its head into the opening, only not barking due to Kotori's shushing. Wrapping her arms around its neck, she laid her head down on top of its own and closed her eyes, allowing herself to get lost in the soft warmth of companionship. This felt perfect, and she didn't want to let go. A tear slid down her cheek and onto its ginger fur, but it wasn't of sadness. For once, she felt content, like things could and would actually be okay.

She had to rear back and cover her mouth to stop herself from laughing when the dog licked her cheek, scratching it behind the ears with her other hand. It seemed like her dog could understand how she was feeling, and that thought pleased her greatly. Even if she couldn't tell for sure, she was glad there was someone who could understand her. She was glad her dog had decided to stay with her.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Honoka marches to the beat of her own drummer. You can't stay mad at her, though. Meanwhile, it looks like Maki got more than she bargained for. Don't worry, Maki: things can only get better, right? I wanted this chapter to focus on the guardians, but it felt a bit short, so I decided to add the last part with Kotori. Don't worry, though. Chapter three will have everyone, including Umi. I haven't forgotten our favorite field spell. Thank you to everyone who has read the first chapter and for reviewing. It means a lot!


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Notes:** Hello once again! I do not like writing at home. I can't really explain it, but sitting there at my computer feels constricting, and I don't feel very creative at all. So I tend to not write anything over weekends, when I'm always at home. I had about half of this done on Friday, but I couldn't get myself to continue until today. Hope it was worth it!

* * *

Guardians were angels with a different purpose. As guardians, they were tasked with watching over the living, specifically those who were young, no older than eighteen usually, who were dealing with emotional issues without a support system. Under the guise of a faithful pet, they would do they best they could to be there for their charge so they didn't have to be alone, and subtly try to push them to find someone who would be there for them. After that, their job was done.

It wasn't as simple as 'I want to be guardian, so I am', though. It took training, many years of it, in order to be allowed to take on a charge, and it wasn't just a walk in the park. It took the right mix of compassion, patience, and understanding of those who still held breath within them, and the fortitude to keep oneself from revealing their true identity to the living. After all, people would freak out if they knew the dead were walking among them. Subtlety was of the highest priority for guardians: no one would be allowed to enact themselves forcefully upon someone's free will.

 _'Patience is a virtue. Patience is a virtue. Ow!'_ A loud yowl filled the apartment when Cotaro, Nico's younger brother, yanked on the family cat's tail, causing her to wrench her tail from the boy's grasp and dart across the room, shooting daggers with an angry stare. It had only been a week, just one week, but Maki was already beyond frustrated. Nico's siblings refused to leave her be. If it wasn't one of them grabbing her tail or her fur, then another was throwing toys at her. Dodging flying objects was not a skill she had ever thought she'd acquire. _'Patience is overrated.'_

"Cotaro!" Maki watched as Nico strode over and begin gently scolding her little brother. "Don't tease Princess like that. It's not very nice."

"Princess." He pointed over towards Maki, who internally cringed at having to be called such an obnoxious name. She was _not_ a princess.

"Yes." Nico's voice softened as she gently ruffled Cotaro's hair, glancing at their angry-looking feline. "Be nice to her, okay?" A simple nod satisfied her, and she made her way over towards 'Princess', who was not at all convinced that her troubles were over. "Come on, Princess. Let's go to my room." Hissing softly, Maki followed her charge without any further complaining.

Once in her room, Nico sat down on the bed and grabbed a pair of pink earbuds, plugging them into her music player. Maki took her time padding over, jumping onto the bed and trying to get comfortable. A soft hand ran through her fur, and Maki purred politely as she looked up at her charge's smiling face. At least things were calmer in here.

Leaving her hand resting on her cat's back, Nico began to sing along with the song she was listening to. This was something Maki had already noticed several times during the week. Nico would sing and seemingly get lost in her own world, but she never seemed happy once finished. Maki didn't understand the sad, wistful look in her eyes as she sang; she seemed to sing at least passably, so she couldn't figure out what the deal was. What was she so bothered by?

Like the other times before, Nico seemed sad once the song ended, pulling off her headphones and petting Maki absently. They sat in silence after that, the song's completion bringing to a close even the soft, imperceptible sound of noise leaking from the headphones. She wished she could ask just what exactly was wrong, but that wasn't allowed. It would be so much easier, but all she could do was lay there and wonder. It was frustrating to be treated like personal target practice by Nico's siblings, but it was more frustrating to not know what made her so sad.

* * *

Hanayo was in her element: any place that served rice. She didn't _just_ eat rice: she just happened to like it the best. This place also was special for another reason: it allowed pets, as long as they were kept in check. Ever since her new cat, Onigiri, had forced itself into her bag that night, Hanayo had grown rather fond of the tabby, taking her nearly everywhere allowed. If only school was as nice as this restaurant. On her second bowl of rice, she ate up the fluffy white grains happily, smiling whenever Onigiri would lick up any rice that fell into her reach.

Looking up from her meal to find her waiter, the breath was suddenly knocked right out of her. Eyes widening, she grabbed the table tightly as she saw something unbelievable. At a table in the corner, eating a simple meal in a simple restaurant, was Kira Tsubasa. _The_ Kira Tsubasa, sitting around commoners without a care. "Impossible..." She whispered, unable to believe her own eyes, yet it was true. One of the most famous, if not _the_ most famous, school idols in the entire prefecture, and she was in the same building as her. "No way..."

Onigiri seemed to realize that something was severely affecting her owner, so she grabbed onto the table and peered over, matching Hanayo's wide-eyed stare with the girl sitting in the corner. Removing her hand from the table, Hanayo gently petted her cat, though 'gentle' in her state of nervousness was a bit rougher than intended, though Onigiri seemed to not be too bothered by it. "Th-that's Kira Tsubasa! I-I can't believe she's here! O-oh goodness, I-I want to..." She clamped her mouth shut, her cheeks going slightly red. It was a stupid thought, one she shouldn't even consider. Onigiri tipped her head in confusion, looking curiously at her owner.

"Oh Onigiri..." Hanayo sighed as her petting became less jittery. "I wish I could go ask for her autograph. Sh-she seems way too busy t-to be bothered by such a petty request, though." Well, she didn't _actually_ look busy, but Hanayo knew she wasn't worthy enough to speak to such a powerful school idol like Kira Tsubasa. It was beneath her stature. When she looked down at her cat though, she was surprised to see what seemed like mischief glittering in her eyes. "U-uh..."

And then Onigiri was gone, leaping off of Hanayo's lap and ambling towards the very table where the very famous Kira Tsubasa was very much sitting. "O-Onigiri! C-come back!" Hanayo whispered in alarm, standing up and trying to grab her cat before she caused a scene. Running would have caused even more of a scene, however, which meant she had no chance of catching her wayward cat. Panic burst within her chest as she watched the orange tabby rub itself against Tsubasa's leg, meowing without any sense of shame. "O-oh no..."

Red blossomed all over Hanayo's face as she timidly inched her way to Tsubasa's table, who was petting Onigiri with a soft smile on her face. "Oh, is this your cat?" Tsubasa looked up at Hanayo, making eye contact. Actual, direct eye contact. Hanayo thought she might melt right there, or perhaps burst into flames.

"Y-y-yes!" Hanayo squeaked, failing to control the jumble of nerves playing its aberrant rhythm upon her vocal chords. "I-I'm s-sorry about her."

To her complete and total shock, Tsubasa laughed, gently picking up Onigiri, who seemed more than happy with the situation at hand. "No need to apologize. Your cat is absolutely adorable. What's its name?"

"O-O-Onigiri."

"Well, Onigiri here is quite the charmer. I love cats." The big, famous idol nuzzled the tabby, who purred in delight. Hanayo was stunned. This was definitely happening, right? She wanted to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming, but on the off-chance this was real, that might make her look crazy. "You know who I am, huh?"

"A-ah! Y-yes. You're Kira Tsubasa. I-I can't believe y-you're eating here."

"I may be an idol, but I'm also a student." Tsubasa grinned and set down Onigiri, who sat next to Hanayo's shoes looking mighty proud of herself. "I like to come here whenever I get a break from practice. It's nice to find a place where most people don't really recognize you, you know?" Well, technically Hanayo felt no one 'recognized' her anywhere she was, but she got the idea.

"U-uh, K-Kira-san-"

"Please, call me Tsubasa." Her bewitchingly-white smile was almost too much. No wonder she was the leader of the great A-Rise. Being allowed to call her by her first name, though? Like a fellow idol might do? Now _that_ was too much.

"C-can I... p-please have your autograph?" The words fell out of her mouth in a jumbled rush, but she had to get them out before she fainted. Tsubasa covered her mouth to suppress a giggle, nodding in response.

"Got a pen?" Hanayo fumbled around in her pockets, but to her horror she only had a scrap of paper that could be signed. There was no pen for signing. Wanting to scream from the sheer unfairness of it all, she felt something bounce off of her shoe. Looking down, Onigiri was pawing at, of all things, a pen, and Hanayo bent over and grabbed it before it had a chance to vanish. "Looks like Onigiri's looking out for you."

Having to concentrate all of her energy on not crumbling to the ground like a rag doll, Hanayo shakily handed over the pen and the scrap of paper, which Tsubasa signed before handing back. "Here you go... Ah, would you be so kind as to tell me your name?"

"K-Koizumi Hanayo."

"Well, here you go, Hanayo. Thanks for coming over to talk, and for bringing this cutie over." She reached down and petted Onigiri again, who nuzzled her hand with another purr. Her waiter then came over with the bill, which Tsubasa paid for before standing up and giving Hanayo a big smile. "I hope to see you again sometime. Bye-bye!"

Hanayo could only manage a quiet, squeaky 'bye' in response before she was gone, leaving her standing there in a daze. She might have stood there all day if Onigiri didn't keep prodding her leg until she snapped out of it and scurried back over to her own table. When she sat down, she held the piece of paper in her hands, eyes tracing over Tsubasa's signature again and again. This was the most amazing thing that had ever happened to her. Ever-so-carefully pocketing her prize, she felt Onigiri hop back onto her lap, giving her quite the cat-like grin. She couldn't help but smile as well, resting a hand atop her cat's back. "Th-thank you Onigiri."

* * *

Nozomi sat on her bed, staring intently at a deck of cards stacked neatly on top of the sheets. A tarot deck to be specific, Nozomi had never been steered wrong by the spiritual wisdom of fate that was held within these cards. Letting her eyes slowly close, she placed a hand atop the deck and whisked a card off, holding it up to her face before opening her eyes. _The High Priestress._ She frowned slightly, contemplating on its meaning.

Lately she had felt watched by a higher power more than before, but she didn't think it had enough meaning to be drawn like this. Slowly her eyes drifted over to her new friend, wondering if she had something to do with it. Venus, the 'friend' in question, was watching her owner with an intense stare, having not moved much over the last twenty minutes or so. Setting the card down, Nozomi got off of the bed and went over to her cat, going to her knees to look curiously.

It had been different ever since Venus had come into her life. She wasn't quite sure how, or what it meant, but the blessings of the Gods weren't always meant to be understood. It was a mystery indeed. Nozomi gently ran her hand across the cat's back, as if this would explain things, but all she got was a pleasant meow in return. _'Oh well. I guess it's not my place to understand yet.'_

Standing back up, Nozomi neatly placed the High Priestess back on the deck and put the cards away, unsure of what to do next. Maybe it was best to head to bed early. With a quiet sigh, she headed out of her room to take a shower, unaware of the clear blue eyes that always stayed upon her.

* * *

Sitting by herself on a school bench, Kotori watched with rapt attention the girl who was known throughout the school as stoic and unfeeling. They said there was no room for gray in her life: things were only white and black. To Kotori, however, the only color that mattered to her was that of her long, luxurious hair: a midnight blue that the sky itself would be jealous of.

From here, she could watch the girl pull her arm back in one fluid motion, holding the bow within her hands with the strength and poise of a professional. When the arrow holstered within was let go, no one could have doubt that it would reach the target its mistress desired, and as it was, the arrow pierced the bullseye with great precision. For as long as Kotori had been watching her, she had never once missed. It was much different for Kotori, who had constantly missed the opportunity to talk to her.

The two of them were in the same grade, yet they seemed so incredibly distant, in ways that made it seem impossible that they would ever speak. Sonoda Umi, the girl who would not talk to you unless she had something important to say. There was something so appealing in that, yet Kotori knew it would never lead to anything. She was not nearly important enough to have anything to say to. Since her first year at Otonokizaka, this was what she would have to be content with: watching, but never being close enough to speak.

A soft whine came from next to her feet, and she smiled softly as she reached down to pet her dog, who looked up at her with that look that was becoming so very familiar: she was hungry. Giggling quietly, Kotori grabbed for a slice of bread she had bought fresh that morning and offered it to the canine, who gobbled it down greedily, barking happily at the tasty treat. "You sure love this stuff, don't you, Pan?" Pan just barked again, a definite yes.

Returning to petting Pan, Kotori moved her vision back to the blue-haired archer known as Sonoda Umi. Many thoughts of talking to her ran through Kotori's mind, but each one ended up in failure, bringing her mood down considerably. Looking down at her lap, she just didn't have anything to offer someone as regal as her. She must have ended up staring at nothing for a few minutes, because Pan was pushing against her leg anxiously. "Hmm? Do you want to leave, Pan?"

Without waiting for any kind of response, Kotori slowly stood up and begin to walk away from the practice fields. Pan was still shoving her face into Kotori's legs, but she just figured that the canine was anxious to get home. That apparently was not the issue, as without warning Pan moved forward and whipped around, jumping roughly into her owner.

Kotori let out a squeal of surprise, backing up on shaky feet before finally losing her balance and falling over. The ground didn't meet her, however, as she ended up bumping into - or getting caught by - someone. Her breath caught in her throat, as she realized there was only one person in the near vicinity. It couldn't be, though. Heart prematurely pounding in her chest, Kotori slowly turned her head, to find herself in the arms of one Sonoda Umi.

"S-S-Sonoda-san!" Kotori leaped back in a combination of horror and embarrassment, blood quickly filling up her cheeks. Umi gave her a look that she couldn't read, though it certainly wasn't helped by her brain going into overdrive. She had wanted to be close to Umi, but this was too soon, too... embarrassing. She wasn't ready.

"Are you okay, Minami-san?" Kotori started at being addressed so formally, noticing a look of slight concern in those otherwise statuesque eyes.

"U-uh, y-yeah. I-I'm fine. Th... Thank you for catching me, Sonoda-san."

"No need to thank me. I am just glad you are okay." Umi then cast a disapproving gaze at Pan, who was smiling at the two of them with a big, dopey grin. "Your dog seems a bit... rambunctious. Perhaps it needs more training."

Kotori laughed softly, putting a hand on the back of her head. "Ehehe, yeah, she's got a lot of energy. I haven't had her for very long."

"Understandable, but it is important to disregard your emotional attachments when it comes to making sure she can handle herself properly in public. I would hate to see you get hurt because of her carelessness." Most people would be offended that someone akin to a stranger was heavily rebuking their pets, but the only thing that Kotori could think was _'She cares about my well-being!'_

"O-of course. Y-yes, absolutely." She didn't really know what she was saying, only that she was doing her best to not get completely lost in the moment. With an affirmative nod, Umi turned on her heel and began to walk away. A strange aching was left in her heart as Kotori watched her start to leave, like her loneliness was back to crush her under its heel. Not wanting to have this be the last time they ever spoke, she decided to do something rash: continue talking. "W-wait, Sonoda-san!"

Umi turned back around, stopping to look at the girl who apparently still had more to say. This was as far as she had thought the plan through though, which didn't make it much of a plan at all. What was she supposed to say? "U-uh, y-you're really amazing at archery." The slight blush that rose onto Umi's cheeks caught Kotori way off guard.

"You have been watching me, then?"

"O-oh, yeah... I-It sounds a lot creepier when you say it like that..." The blush was one thing, but a smile? However faint it was, Umi smiling at her comment made her heart threaten to burst from her chest. "I just... really enjoy watching you use your bow. It's incredible."

"You do?" Kotori shyly nodded. "Well, I am very flattered. If you decide to watch again, feel free to come watch from a closer vantage. This is a bit far for proper watching." With a formal wave, Umi once again took her leave, Kotori watching her go in stunned silence. That was definitely an invitation. Not an invitation for much, but being allowed to watch up close was closer than she ever thought possible. Just the mere act of talking to her was unbelievable. Did all of that really happen? Pinching her arm - "Ouch!" - revealed that yes, this was real.

"That... that just happened." In a slight daze, she turned around and nearly tripped over Pan, who was watching her with great interest. "Pan? Did you do that on purpose?" The big dog nodded, barking loudly. Having to keep herself from laughing, Kotori got down to her level and gave her a stern look. "That was very dangerous, Pan. Don't do that ever again." The apologetic look on her dog's face made her unable to continue with her act, and she put a hand to her mouth as she laughed, petting the ginger canine. She could never be mad at such a cutie. A thought then came to her head, an almost scandalous thought that brought a blush right back to her cheeks, but she couldn't deny enjoying the idea. She covertly looked back and forth to make sure Umi was gone, then murmured softly to Pan:

"Next time, push her into my arms."

* * *

 **Author's Notes (2):** So we found Umi. She was probably practicing archery the whole time, not even noticing poor Kotori staring at her the whole time. You got this, Kotori. Sorry to anyone who had Umi being the head of the guardians in the betting pool. Thank you to everyone for reading and letting me know what you think! I enjoy reading all of your comments/reviews.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Notes:** Since I'm pressed for time, I'd just like to thank Adri-VolKatina, because that was... definitely a typo. Many typos. I've been calling her Sonada this entire time. How shameful.

Also, to hshh: no disrespect was meant, because your thoughts were equally as good. I honestly went back and forth between both, but I decided that I wanted her to be on the Earth. It could have gone either way, though.

* * *

Nico was frustrated. It was almost enough to override the pain shooting up and down her ankle. _Almost._

She had been planning on going into the city to window shop, maybe even buy something if it caught her interest and was affordable enough, but now she was riding the train to a very different location: the hospital. While she was rushing to make her train on time, some jerk bumped rudely into her. That, coupled with her running, caused her to topple over, with her right foot deciding to blaze its own trail and not go the same way she was falling.

The pain was immediate and intense. She could tell it was bad when she tried to stand and immediately crumpled back to the ground. A small whimper of agony passed her lips, and it took all of her strength to endure the pain and keep her cat from trying to maul the guy who pushed her over. While the retaliation would have certainly been appreciated, she doubted that she could afford any medical bills for the scratches.

Why Princess was so insistent on following her around she didn't know. It certainly couldn't have been for the adventure, because it wasn't hard to notice how sour the feline always looked whenever she was outside, yet she seemed hellbent on being by her side whenever she went somewhere. Nico didn't understand it. This cat was an enigma.

Right now though, she was glad for the company. Despite how disdainful her cat could always look, she could tell that Princess was able to sense her pain, as there was clear concern in her eyes. Being near her made Nico feel a little bit better, though she couldn't help but worry about her ankle. She didn't have the time to be hobbling about everywhere.

As the train neared its destination, she had something else to be confused about: Princess seemed... nervous. She was fidgeting on Nico's lap and glancing out the window constantly. What was the deal? There wasn't time - or any way, really - to figure it out, as the train slowly came to a stop, and Nico allowed Princess to hop off her lap before she stood up and exited the train. Last time she had tried to carry the feline, she had to apologize to the neighbors for the noise violation.

The walk to the hospital was agonizingly slow. While the train had cut the distance significantly, walking on one foot and dragging the other proved a bad way to get anywhere quickly. It would have been so much easier if someone could drive her, but her mother was still busy at work, and she didn't really have anyone she considered a 'friend' to pick her up. Gritting her teeth, she was forced to ignore the pain and press on.

After a much longer time than she would have liked, and quite a few curious stares, she made it to the entrance of the hospital, stopping just outside the doors. Not wanting to risk collapsing again, she looked down at Princess and tried to give off her best smile through the occasional shocks of pain. "Princess, I have to go inside now, and they don't allow pets, so you're going to have to stay outside, okay?" It wasn't like she owned a dog, an animal that she could easily tie to a pole or something: she could only imagine the trouble it would take to even get a collar on her finicky cat.

Worry was in her eyes at the thought that as soon as she was out of sight, Princess would run away. It was compounded by how nervous her cat still looked, but there wasn't any other choice. Well, she could always go all the way back home, force the feline to stay there, then come back, but that would take forever. That was time she didn't have.

It seemed like Princess understood though, as she padded slowly towards the wall and sat down, looking up at her owner. Nico smiled and leaned down as best she could, petting Princess once more before heading inside to fill out the customary forms. At least her worries over one thing were somewhat abated. Hopefully she'd be okay out there.

As soon as Nico was out of sight, Princess ran away.

* * *

Maki was nervous. She tried hard not to show it, but she couldn't help but shoot furtive glances out the window, trying to pick out certain buildings as the train zipped past them. It had never occurred to her to consider exactly where Nico lived, which was starting to prove to be a mistake. Of course she was concerned for her charge: she could tell that Nico was in a lot of pain, but she knew what this meant. With that kind of injury, she would have to go get it checked out at a hospital, and it was becoming clearer just where exactly they were.

As the train came to a stop, she considered just staying in Nico's lap and not allowing her to leave, but that wouldn't be good for her ankle. Plus she would probably try to carry her again, and that was just mortifying. It was with great reluctance that Maki hopped off her lap and padded alongside Nico, secretly grateful for the slowed-down pace they were forced to take. Their walk couldn't last forever though, and as the hospital appeared in their view, she could feel her stomach drop as her worst fears were confirmed. Her feet attempted to halt her progress, but she couldn't leave her charge to do this alone, so against her better judgement they continued on.

Maybe it was secretly a blessing that no pets were allowed inside the hospital walls. This was something that seemed so obvious, but only now had she remembered it. There was worry in Nico's eyes, and she wondered if it was about what to expect upon going inside, or about her 'pet' running off, as there was nothing specifically keeping her there. Well, except for the obvious, but her charge had no knowledge of that.

Wanting to alleviate her charge's worries, Maki made her way to the wall next to the door and sat down, feeling as if she was the one needing a doctor when her stomach churned unpleasantly the moment her back touched the wall. She refused to move, however, until Nico was reassured enough to head inside. Maki watched her go, knowing that she was in good hands. As soon as she left, however, the walls began to press in on her, and she leaped away, trying to look anywhere but the building behind her.

She couldn't stay there. As much as she tried to reason with herself, something much more powerful than reason began to take hold: fear. Being there scared her; it terrified her, though she was loathe to admit it, even to herself. Its mere presence was painful, and though she knew that leaving would bring on a whole host of problems, she couldn't stand the feeling of the walls closing in on her.

So she ran. She ran from her charge, from the building, and from the pulsating red letters that spelled 'Nishikino Hospital'. No matter how fast she ran, those words were forever seared upon her mind.

* * *

Her hand was pressed firmly against the alley wall, her breaths coming out in ragged gasps. Maki had ditched her feline form and was now hunched over, finding no way to calm her panicking body. Abandoning her charge and being on Earth in her human form were just two rules she was currently breaking, but she didn't care. This was some kind of trick. A cruel joke. It had to be. Leave it to Nico to get hurt and go to the one place Maki absolutely, under no circumstances, would be allowed into: her family's hospital.

Well, it was partially accurate. As an animal, of course she couldn't enter. If she had stayed outside though, no one would be able to recognize her in her feline form, and there wouldn't have been any issues. The only problem was with herself, for the temptation to sneak inside and try to find her parents was too great for her to take. She didn't know if they were even there, and there was a good chance they weren't, but she was positive they were still alive, and her heart ached for something she was no longer allowed to have: a family.

Pulling her hand from the wall, she wrapped her arms around herself to try and keep from falling apart. It hurt, in a way that her fellow guardians wouldn't understand. They weren't burdened with their relatives still walking the Earth, and they didn't have to worry about memories of their former lives being triggered whenever they walked a certain path. Now that she knew where she was, how could she go back? How could she risk being confronted with someone she once knew? She couldn't trust herself with that knowledge. If she ended up seeing her parents, she knew there was no force that could keep her from speaking to them.

There probably wasn't much time until Nico was allowed to walk out, and Maki was still fighting for control of her rampant emotions. She was risking her guardianship, and quite a lot more, just because she missed all that she had been forced to leave behind. As her breathing slowly came back under control, she was able to inject logic into her trembling thoughts. This wasn't a risk worth taking. She was needed. _Nico_ needed her.

Sighing softly, she ran a shaking hand through her hair before she made her decision. Making her way back to the hospital, she hoped that she got there before Nico came out. It was the right choice to make, but that did nothing to quell the ache in her heart. Taking one last deep breath, she turned feline before padding out of the alley.

* * *

Nico felt silly. She couldn't see herself, but if she could, she probably would have laughed at herself walking around with a crutch under her right arm. All for an ankle sprain. The only reason she didn't toss the thing as soon as she left her doctor's office was that otherwise the trip home would be a lot slower, and possibly a lot more painful. She would just have to deal with it for a little bit.

Once outside, her mood brightened somewhat upon seeing Princess sitting exactly where she'd left her, bored violet eyes glancing up upon noticing her appearance. "Sorry for making you wait so long, Princess." She smirked slightly, pointing towards where they'd come from with the crutch. "Let's get back home!" She couldn't wait to get back home. Being around a hospital was such a drag, and she was starving anyway.

While on the train, she silently lamented the loss of her window shopping trip. There was plenty of daylight left to go, but it'd be slow and lame hobbling around like this. It would have to wait until she could properly walk. At least her cat seemed calmer though. After being so fidgety earlier, Nico was pleased that she had reverted to normal. One hand laying laxly on the feline's head, she watched the buildings fly by from the window. There was only one building she was looking forward to seeing.

* * *

Maki sat at their regular table morosely, barely paying attention to what Honoka and Rin were talking about. She didn't have anything to add to the conversation, anyway. Her own name cut through her thoughts: "Maki-chan... Maki-chan!"

"Huh? What?" She sat up straighter and looked at the three pairs of eyes staring at her. Automatically she looked away, uncomfortable with having them look so intently at her.

"Rin caught a bird!" Rin seemed particularly pleased with herself, enough to where she was speaking in the third person again. "It was trying to fly and I snatched it out of the air! I let it go though, don't worry. Weren't you listening?"

"Yeah..." Well, no. "Congratulations, I guess."

"Aww, Maki-chan wasn't listening." Rin pouted at the redhead before reverting very quickly back to a smile. "Were you too busy thinking of your own charge?" Maki blushed, though she wasn't sure why. There was nothing to be embarrassed about, and it wasn't even true. She had been thinking of... well, something else. It was just Rin's tone that made it all awkward.

"My own charge spent today in the hospital." Her own tone was almost bored as she twirled her hair with a finger. Honoka gasped at the revelation.

"Oh no! Maki-chan, did you scratch her?"

"What? No! What makes you think I would do that?" All she got were matching grins from Honoka and Rin, whom she glared at. "She sprained her ankle, for your information. That's all." While the two rambunctious guardians wished Nico the best, Maki couldn't help but notice concern in Eli's eyes. "Eli, it's not that big a deal," she reasoned, not wanting their leader to question her ability to protect her charge. "She's fine, I swear."

"I'm more concerned about you," Eli murmured softly, to where only Maki could hear her. Why, though? She didn't get hurt. "You went with her to the hospital, didn't you?" _'Oh.'_ A chill ran down Maki's spine as she hoped that Eli wasn't getting at what she thought. She couldn't know, though: she didn't really like talking about herself, so she kept people's knowledge of her past to an absolute minimum, even among the three she considered friends. There was no way she could possibly know.

"If you want to talk-"

"Ah, is it that late already?" Maki stood up suddenly, slamming her hands down on the table. She had no idea what she was doing; she just had to leave, now. "I'd better get back before Nico notices I'm gone. I'll see you later." Before any of them could respond, she turned and quickly walked away, her mind a whirlwind of confusion. If Eli knew something... but she couldn't... She didn't want to talk about it. There was nothing to talk about. The past was in the past, and they couldn't change that. She didn't want to talk about it; she didn't want to think about it. It was best to just forget it and let it go.

Eli watched Maki leave with a look of deep concern. There was clearly something going on, but once again she was left in the dark as to what it could be. She knew so little of Maki, and things like this didn't make things any easier. It wasn't the first time she wished the redhead would be a bit more open.

Looking at the remaining two, she saw that Honoka was staring after Maki too, a very confused expression on her face.

"Late? But it's three in the morning."

* * *

 **Author's Notes (2):** Maki, Maki, Maki. Don't be hiding secrets from your friends. That's a Nico Nico no-no. Also, do not worry: the great saga of Kotori and Umi will make its triumphant return.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Notes:** I was trying to write for another story of mine, but I just couldn't keep away. I've said this before, but thank you all for reading and reviewing! Before I started this story, I'd decided to give up on writing, at least in this kind of context, for this type of show. After looking over some of my writing (some I uploaded, some I didn't), I came to realize that I didn't really _get_ the show. It wasn't targeted towards me, and I couldn't give any story its proper due if I couldn't understand the motivations behind the characters. Of course, I tend to ignore myself, and I started writing this anyway. I'm still extremely surprised at how many people have liked this, and I'm really grateful for all of you who have continued to give it patronage. It means a lot!

* * *

She was watching the beautiful blue archer again. Even though she had been given a personal okay to watch, Kotori still felt like an intruder upon the activities of her better. She doubted that she'd ever get tired of watching Umi shoot straight bullseyes, one after the other in perfect succession. It was like watching art being created in real time, and she was as captivated by the artist as she was the art.

The only thing that took her out of the trance was when Umi retrieved her arrows. Or, rather, her 'helper' retrieving them. Pan had been rather eager to yank the arrows out of their circular prison and trot them back over to the stunned archer, causing Kotori equal amounts of great embarrassment and amusement. Umi didn't seem to know how to react, so she ended up just taking the arrows with a slight bow of thanks.

"Your canine seems rather... eager to help," Umi remarked during a break, standing next to a suddenly-nervous Kotori. She could only nod in agreement, trying to find her words, which had disappeared somewhere in her mind.

"Y... Yeah, she's so sweet, isn't she?" Umi didn't seem entirely convinced of that, Kotori giggling softly at watching her try to be properly respectful towards an animal she wasn't all that enamored with. "You just need to spend some more time with her, Sonoda-san. Pan is a real sweetheart." That was rather forward of her, initiating conversation like that. She had no idea where that had come from.

"And how do you suggest I do that?" Placing a hand on her hip, Umi gave Kotori a questioning stare, as if wondering just how it would be possible to warm up to something so rambunctious.

"Well, you could always come with us to the dog park." Woah, wait, did she actually say that?

* * *

Woah, wait, wait, were they actually there? Kotori's eyes widened in shock, like she was just breaking out from a trance to realize just what had happened. It had been way too bold of her to ask Umi to go anywhere with her. She surely had better things to do, but somehow, in what could only be classified as a minor miracle, Umi had agreed. _'She agreed to come with me! A-and she's here. With me!'_ They were at the park now, which had only a couple people wandering around, plus two guys throwing a frisbee between themselves. There could have been a thousand people and Kotori may have not noticed, still stunned by what had happened.

So stunned, in fact, that she slipped back into another trance, at least until a hand was placed gently upon her shoulder. Shaking her head in confusion, she felt her face heat up when she noticed just who's hand was on her shoulder. "Are you okay, Minami-san? You spaced out for a minute."

"Y-Y-Yeah, n-never better!" The higher octave and volume of her voice said otherwise, but Umi didn't push it, instead walking forward until she could sit down on a bench, looking up to find Kotori had not moved an inch, her body frozen in continued bouts of shock.

"Minami-san, are you going to stand there all day?" Kotori jerked back to reality, blushing further when she noticed Umi staring at her with a small grin on her face. Hurrying over, she sat down next to Umi and desperately attempted to fight back the blush on her face. She failed. "Are you alright, Minami-san? You seem feverish."

"Y-yeah, I-I'm fine." There was legitimate concern on Umi's face, though Kotori found it somewhat hard to believe that Umi actually thought she was sick. There was a much more obvious reason for that, a reason that she was glad to be distracted from by Pan laying her head on her lap and looking up at her with those big blue eyes. She smiled and petted the canine, ruffling her fur. "Why don't you go play, Pan? We're just going to sit down for a little bit." With a loud bark, Pan got back up and ran off, trying to go make friends with the closest dog in sight.

The two girls sat in silence for a few moments, watching the other dog get a bit overwhelmed at Pan's boundless energy. Well, they did whenever Kotori wasn't sneaking glances at Umi, trying to find the courage she had earlier to start another conversation. Nothing came to her though, and the silence grew more and more oppressive as a bead of sweat dripped down her forehead, which she quickly wiped off. Even if she didn't spend a lot of time hanging around other girls her age, she usually was much better at conversation than this. Why was it so hard?

"Minami-san?"

"Y-Yes?" It was utterly embarrassing how easily she turned into a stuttering mess when talking to Umi. It shouldn't have been so difficult, but Umi was special. Despite them both being loners, Umi was everything Kotori wanted to be, and she wished she could so easily channel all that stoic confidence into herself. Things wouldn't be so difficult then.

To her surprise, there was a smile on Umi's face. She still wasn't used to it, as she had become accustomed to her expressions of concentration. "You do not have to be so nervous around me. I do not bite." Hearing Umi say something like that melted away a lot of the lingering, self-induced tension, and Kotori couldn't help but to burst into a fit of quiet giggles. "Hmm? What is it?"

"I-I just didn't expect that from you." Suddenly they both had matching red on their face, though Umi's soft laugh brought Kotori relief, letting her know that she didn't say the wrong thing. Maybe she could actually talk to her now, and then who knew? They could even be official, able-to-say-it-out-loud friends. The thought made her heart swell with warmth. Then she noticed something heading their way.

"Sonoda-san, duck!" Kotori barely had a chance to shout, having just seen the red hue of a runaway frisbee heading straight for them, specifically for Umi. Umi jerked her head to the side in order to try and understand what was happening, but it didn't give her enough time to move out of the way. Prematurely wincing, Kotori braced for the painful 'thwak', but none came. Instead, she watched in awe as a certain big and furry dog jumped and snagged the disc out of the air, landing down with it firmly clenched between her teeth. Kotori could only stare at Pan, who had came out of nowhere to save Umi from a particularly nasty hit.

"P-Pan," she breathed out shakily, glancing between her and a visibly stunned Umi, who hadn't taken her eyes off of where the frisbee used to be. Pan, however, seemed extraordinary pleased with herself, laying the frisbee down on Umi's lap with a happy bark. That brought Umi's stare down to her lap, then up again when they heard the shout of the two guys they'd seen when they entered the park, both of them looking relieved that no one was hurt from the errant throw. Without really thinking about it, Umi absently grabbed the frisbee off of her lap and threw it back to the guys, the throw as perfect and flat as if it had come straight from her bow.

"A-are you okay, Sonoda-san?"

"Y-yeah..." Still a bit shaken, Umi took a few seconds to compose herself. Then, with a grateful smile on her face, she reached out and gently ran her hand across the top of Pan's head. "Thank you, Pan. That was very noble of you." Pan gave her another happy bark and nuzzled her hand as Kotori watched in continued awe. This may have been the most incredible day of her life.

"Maybe she is not as ill-trained as I originally thought," she mused, turning to look at Kotori. "She definitely has a good owner." If that blush had left her face before, it was only temporary, as it easily flared up once more.

"Th-thank you, Sonoda-san."

Umi titled her head and smiled a bit wider. "You can call me Umi if you want." This was definitely the most incredible day of her life.

* * *

Hanayo was attempting to do homework. It was laying on her desk, and she was tapping her pen against the paper to try and think of how to do the next question. It was just a bit difficult with Onigiri bouncing hyperactively around her room.

After a month of having a pet, she had thought Onigiri would have explored the room to her full satisfaction, but it seemed that was not the case, as the orange tabby loved to jump around the room and touch all of her stuff. Luckily nothing had been broken yet, though she nearly had a panic attack when her tail swept over a limited edition, never-opened box set of idol DVDs. Now she seemed to be fascinated with her computer, which had her music player still open.

Sounds began to fill up the room as Onigiri tapped the enter button with a paw, allowing the A-Rise song 'Shocking Party' to reach her ears. It was definitely distracting, but she did love this song, and soon she found herself softly singing along, absently rolling her pen across the desk as she lost herself to the music. Maybe the homework could wait a little.

About halfway through the song, it suddenly changed to 'Private Wars', making Hanayo look up to find her cat skipping songs cheerfully. With a small sigh, she turned around and picked up the pen, finally getting through the next question. Halfway through the next question though, her ears picked up the familiar sounds of 'Shocking Party' once again. Turning around, she found her computer vacated, with no feline in sight. That mystery quickly settled itself when she returned to her original position and found Onigiri standing next to her homework.

With a meow, she clambered onto Hanayo's shoulders and laid across them, prodding Hanayo's cheek with her tail. She giggled and smiled at Onigiri, who was now trying to purr along to the beat of the song. It was slightly off-key, but the atmosphere became a lot more soothing. Relaxing beneath her cat, Hanayo quietly began to sing again, breezing through the rest of her homework. It seemed a lot easier now.

With her homework finished, Hanayo gently picked Onigiri up before pushing her chair so she was sitting in front of her computer. She set her cat on the desk and brought up her internet browser, loading up the video of the song they'd just been listening to. Clicking 'play', the video came to life as the three members of A-Rise paraded into view. While Hanayo watched with great interest, Onigiri reached out with a paw and gently poked the screen where Kira Tsubasa was, the same girl they'd seen at the restaurant.

"I can't believe we got to meet her," Hanayo sighed dreamily, her attention mostly focused on the coordinated display in front of them. "I wish I could do that." Wishing was nice, of course, but it didn't do much without the inherent talent, talent which Hanayo did not possess. She certainly couldn't dance like A-Rise, and there was no way she could go out in front of all those people and give a performance like that. It would take all of her strength not to run off stage and hide. She loved idols, but to be one? That was just a farfetched dream.

She felt a light tapping on her hand, and looked down to see Onigiri looking right back at her, and then she began to sing. Well, by 'singing', it was her slightly off-key purring again, but she seemed expectant, like she was waiting for accompaniment. Smiling softly, Hanayo joined in and sang with her, the two having their own quiet, private concert beneath the lights of A-Rise. Maybe she'd never have the courage to walk on a stage like that, but for now, this was perfect.

* * *

 **Author's Notes (2):** Honoka dog is always bringing people closer together. You fight the good fight, soldier. So, with those five accounted for, that means only two haven't been around since chapter three. Hmm, I wonder where they could be...


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Notes:** firecaster-hikaru - I'm not actually sure. I don't want to promise anything one way or the other, nor would I want to spoil any future happenings (too much), but at this time, I haven't really planned for too much involvement of A-Rise.

hshh - The future is a mystery, but perhaps the past won't be so mysterious in the future.

I also want to give a huge shout out to iHasRainbows, who showed me some fan art they drew for the story. I loved it! I've already thanked you two or three times, but one more couldn't hurt, right? Thank you!

* * *

The sun had already set by the time Nozomi stumbled into her apartment, her mail clutched in one hand as she quietly shut the door. A soft mewl led her eyes downwards, a small smile on her face when she saw Venus waiting for her. "Hey there. Staying up for me?" Venus gave her an affirmative purr as she leaned down to pet her golden kitty. "I'm gonna go take a shower, Venus. I'll bring you some milk when I'm done, okay?" Venus padded gracefully away to Nozomi's room, the girl in question watching her go before setting her mail down on the kitchen counter.

What was interesting about today's mail was that there was a letter specifically addressed to her. Usually all she got was junk, but this one seemed like it was actually meant for her. As she separated it from the pile and looked at the sender's address, she frowned slightly. It was from the apartment complex. Why were they sending her mail? Opening it up and pulling the letter from its envelope, she unfolded it and held it up to the light. _'Oh,'_ she realized with shaking hands. _'That's why.'_

 _To Toujou Nozomi,_

 _We have not received your rent payment for the previous month. While we understand our residents have various financial situations, we must insist on receiving proper payment in order to allow our residents to continue living here. We regret to inform you that, due to your current lack of payment, plus previous indicators of late payments, we must ask you to vacate your apartment within two weeks time. Non-compliance will result in forced eviction. Enclosed is a bill for the money still owed, which we will receive at your earliest convenience. We apologize for any inconvenience this might cause._

 _-Hotel Staff_

Stray tears leaked from her eyes and onto the offending letter, her entire body now shaking as she fully absorbed what she'd read. _'I'm being... evicted.'_ It was true: she'd missed the payment. Not on purpose: she always paid what she owed. She had been late before though, and she had just figured she could be late again this time. Perhaps it was naive to think like that, but it was unfortunately necessary. While it wasn't a good habit to have, money was pretty tight when she had to pay for her living quarters by herself. Working at the shrine only brought in so much money, and she'd just needed a bit more time to make enough to pay the rent. Now, however, that was time she no longer had.

Desperately trying to hold back from breaking down in her kitchen, Nozomi let the letter fall from her hands, landing half-folded back upon its envelope. She tried to think of something positive, to come with a plan even, but she couldn't chase away her increasingly melancholic thoughts as she went back to her room, forgoing the shower with her mind occupied elsewhere. Were the Gods truly mad with her? She had been nothing but kind her entire life, always putting others before herself. All she wanted was to be a good person, and now suddenly her entire life was crashing down on top of her. Things had been slipping steadily downhill without her realizing it, and now this, while just one instance, became a catalyst for it all. A selfish thought of commiseration ran through her mind: _'It's not fair!'_ Life wasn't fair, though, and it was no good to complain about it. That didn't comfort her, however.

Trudging dejectedly into her room, she fell down on her bed and stared at the wall with wavering turquoise eyes. _'It's not fair.'_ Tears were falling onto her shrine outfit, though she stubbornly tried to force them away. _'It's not fair.'_ Selfish, unhappy thoughts flooded her mind, chipping away at the sturdy walls that held in all of her unwanted feelings, making it harder and harder to regain control over herself. _'It's not fair!'_ No longer able to hang on to the thin precipice of her carefully-crafted smile, she couldn't stop herself from crying pitifully, a soft wail escaping her lips as she covered her eyes to hide her hot, shameful tears. Why was this happening to her? It just wasn't fair.

* * *

Eli was slightly worried when Nozomi returned to her room way too early to have already taken a shower. The fact that she was still wearing her shrine outfit was also a dead giveaway. When she noticed the tears in her eyes, however, that was when her concern jumped straight into panic mode. Whatever had made her charge cry was unknown to her, but all Eli wanted to do was get rid of Nozomi's pain right that second. Who or what could have broken the composure of someone so perfect? Who or what would dare? It made her angry, but what was worse was that she could do nothing. She was a mere pet, unable to speak out and do something to truly assuage her woes.

That was the main ordeal of a guardian: how to subtly gain the knowledge and trust of their charge. Without the ability to speak, there was no way for Eli to know what troubled Nozomi without her vocalizing it herself, and that wasn't always a guarantee, especially for someone like her. She didn't know for sure, but when Eli would lounge around at the shrine with her charge, she would notice Nozomi sympathizing with someone troubled, no matter what ailed them, and never did she once reveal if anything troubled her. In an entire month, Eli knew nothing of her troubles, of her fears, and it was frustrating beyond belief. Nozomi was such a pure and wonderful girl; it wasn't right that she had to suffer alone.

It was tough to let things happen as just a mostly passive observer, and she could tell her feelings were different than that of a regular guardian, at least as far as she could through her friends. Though she'd never said it out loud, she'd seen and heard the way her friends felt about their charges, even if Maki was always somewhat difficult about it. Those emotions were not the same as hers, and she worried about it alone, ironically enough. Those feelings were something she could not quite put a finger on their true meaning, or perhaps the sensible part of her brain would not allow the mystery to be unraveled. It could completely compromise her stance as a leader, never mind as a guardian.

That sensible part of her brain, the one that had always firmly stood up for the fact that they could not interfere personally with their charge, short-circuited the moment she saw Nozomi begin to break down, and her mind whited out every thought, every whim, except for the desire to wipe those tears away from those beautiful eyes, no matter what. She felt herself padding towards the bed, her actions being controlled more by a sense of protection than by sanity. It crushed her heart to hear the anguish from beneath those quivering hands, the soft and gentle sobs of one whose walls were crumbling down. There was no one there to pick her up as she fell. How could there be no one there? It wasn't right!

With the sane part of her mind incapacitated, she forgot that the only reason she was there at that moment was because there was no one there for her charge, and her job was to be a silent presence, not to debate and bemoan the unfairness of reality. All that consumed her mind was the trembling, tearful visage of her charge, and an all-encompassing desire to douse the fires of misery. Her body was on auto-pilot, taken control of by the part of her that wanted above all to help those in need, tainted and biased by her unknown feelings for the person in question.

On the bed now, she gently wrapped her arms around Nozomi, wishing to soak away all the tears, all the pain wracking her body. Slowly her charge's hands dropped to stare at her, and she did likewise. It was only when the body she was embracing tensed up, when a scream of terror shook her ears, that she realized those embracing arms were not quite feline.

 _'Oh no...'_

* * *

Nozomi had flung herself to the other side of the bed, eyes wide in shock and fear as she found herself unable to look away from the blonde woman staring right at her on top of her bed. Her heart was beating in her ears, the sound almost deafening as she had no words to describe what was happening. The rational part of her mind tried to politely explain in the midst of chaos just what was happening: there was a cat in the room just a moment before, and now there was a woman in its place. Logic dictated that the woman had been that cat... but what good was logic when cats could turn into humans? She wanted to scream again, just so she could put forth any kind of vocalization, but the woman - the one formerly known as Venus - shot forward and covered her mouth with a hand.

"Please, Nozomi. Don't scream," she begged, her eyes an ocean of fear and regret, emotions that Nozomi couldn't even begin to comprehend, much less understand. This was unreal, but there didn't seem to be any present danger, so she nodded slowly, and the hand was removed from her mouth.

"What... How are you... Why are... Venus?" She hoped that this was a dream, and that prodding the instabilities of the current moment would bring her back into consciousness, but seconds ticked by without any chance, and when 'Venus' finally nodded, she was still awake. "I don't understand..." How could she possibly begin to understand? Was this a trick, or did the latest news of her eviction cause her mind to finally snap?

'Venus' sighed softly, her body language screaming out how unsure she was in this moment. Nozomi didn't know what it meant, but maybe something was wrong? Well, something was definitely wrong. "This... This was not supposed to happen. You weren't supposed to see me like this."

"I don't even know what I'm seeing," Nozomi admitted, her fear slowly dissipating and replaced by suspicion. "You were just my cat, and now... There's no chance I'm dreaming, am I?"

"I'm afraid not." 'Venus' moved closer, only to stop when Nozomi backed up automatically. The slight hurt that ran through her eyes gave Nozomi pause, but she was not yet at a point where she could feel proper compassion. "What I'm about to tell you, you will not believe. All I can ask is that you keep what I tell you, and my existence, a secret."

Nozomi shook her head slightly, trying to prepare herself for whatever was next. "I'm already in disbelief, so you're probably fine."

'Venus' took a deep breath, then started explaining. "I am a guardian; what you here on Earth usually refer to as a 'guardian angel'. I was assigned to you, Toujou Nozomi, to watch over you and to be there for you." Many questions swirled inside her head, but she felt it best to let this 'guardian' finish before burying her in them. "My job is merely to be a presence for you to confide in when there is no one else to. I was, uh... supposed to stay in the feline form though." She scratched the back of her neck nervously, talking partly to herself. "If anyone finds out..."

"You're an angel?" Nozomi couldn't hold back any longer. If what this woman was saying was the truth - and really, there weren't many explanations for what had happened - then she was being watched over by her Gods, at least in some form. Nestled within all her fear, suspicions, and emotional turmoil, a small bubble of hope began to form. If this was real, then she had not been forsaken. There was still time, and there was still a purpose!

"Yes, I am. While I do appreciate the name you gave to me, my real name is Ayase Eli. Now-" Her words were cut off when pressure was applied to her shoulders, and she saw Nozomi had moved in front of her, turquoise eyes boring into hers with tears forming in their corners. "Nozomi..." On instinct, she lifted a hand and wiped them away, temporarily forgetting her quandary as she focused solely on chasing away the tears from those gentle eyes.

"The Gods are watching me." Her mood had completely shifted from just a moment ago, hope now shining through the tears. "I had thought... I had thought I had been abandoned, but you're here! You... You were sent to watch over me. I can't believe it, but... it means something! Thank you, Venus! I mean... Eli. Thank you." The hug she gave Eli was full of warmth, short-circuiting the blonde's train of thought, to where all she could think of was how nice Nozomi felt. It wasn't until the embrace ended that heat flooded to her cheeks at such an odd thought. "This is amazing! This is incredible! This... You're not going to leave, are you?" She frowned at the thought that accidentally revealing her human form would cause Eli to have to leave.

"No, I..." Eli was still trying to get her brain back on track. "No, I just... have to be careful, and you can't tell anyone!"

"Of course not. I won't let anyone know. Oh thank you!" Another hug sent Eli's recovering mind right back off the rails. "This means so much to me. I feel like taking that shower now." With a real smile on her face, Nozomi left for the bathroom, looking back over her shoulder a couple times as if still worrying that Eli would vanish by the time she got back. She wasn't going anywhere, though. Even with her identity compromised, Eli was not about to abandon her charge just because of this one mistake. Oh, but what a mistake it was.

This could be kept secret, though. It would not happen again. While she hated to keep anything from her friends, them knowing would probably be the second-worst outcome. No one would know, though. It would be okay. Nozomi would never tell, and she certainly wasn't about to. After one final talk with her charge, she would turn back into a cat, and that would be the end of it. She would stay that way until Nozomi was able to move on, and then she would await her next assignment. The thought that someday she wouldn't get to see Nozomi sent uncomfortable emotions through her heart, but she tried her best to ignore it. This was all part of their mission, after all. This was all about her charge, not her.

No one was going to find out, but Eli couldn't escape the feeling that she was going to be in a lot of trouble.

* * *

 **Author's Notes (2):** Eli, you had one job. One job. Can she keep it a secret? Next time, Eli gets peppered with questions, and Nozomi is gonna need a place to live. But where? Tune in next time! This is definitely not written here so I remember what to do next chapter. Don't even start thinking that.


	7. Chapter 7

"So why did you choose to be a cat?" Things were not going quite as planned. Yesterday she had been firm with herself: one last talk, and then they would go back to how things were. That meant her being a normal, everyday cat. Sitting in an empty club room and allowing Nozomi to pepper her with every question she had been holding in, Eli realized that it was not easy to follow her own rules... again.

"Well, we have to be normal pets in order to blend in with society, and I guess we just decided on felines this time, but we could have been any pet, really."

"Who's 'we'?" _'Shoot!'_ Eli gulped, looking up at her eager charge with nervous feline eyes. Yes, she was back in her feline form, the one rule that she was following now, but dammit if she wasn't breaking every other rule by talking to Nozomi. Then again, now that her secret was out, it wasn't as if she could force her charge to pretend nothing had happened. Something definitely _had_ happened, and it was obvious that Nozomi would find it extraordinary, even impossible to believe. How would she forget that? She silently berated herself again for her mistake.

"Uh, j-just some friends..."

"Like other guardians? Are they here on Earth? Oh, are they here with you?" Admittedly, her enthusiasm and interest were endearing, but Eli knew that every question answered only led her further and further into trouble. It was difficult to deny her, though. Oh so difficult...

"Y... Yes, they... are around... But that's all I'm saying! I can't compromise their identities too!" The grin on Nozomi's face was strange, and it made Eli feel as if she was being judged. She ducked her head and muttered softly, "Wh-why are you looking at me like that?"

Nozomi tapped her chin in thought, before quickly scooping up a surprised Eli in a hug. "Because you're so cute!" Eli wasn't sure, but she had a feeling that her fur might be as red as Maki's at that moment. Before she could pass out from a brain overload though, a new voice came from the club room door.

"You do know that's a cat, right?"

* * *

For a moment, Nozomi thought that question came from Eli. Confusion lit up her eyes before she realized that the voice was not only different, but coming from behind her. Turning around, Eli still in her arms, she saw a short, slightly-annoyed girl standing in the doorway, her arms crossed as if waiting for an explanation.

Her eyes widened as she quickly recognized the girl with the raven hair that went below the shoulders, the hair that she remembered always being tied up into pigtails. "Nicocchi..."

"Why are you still calling me that?" Nico crossed her arms and glanced sideways, her eyes on the walls devoid of decoration. "And just what are you doing here?" Nozomi frowned slightly, feeling put-off by the shorter girl's attitude.

"You don't have exclusive rights to the room, Nicocchi." Now it was Nico's turn to frown. She uncrossed her arms and let them fall to her sides, taking one last look around the room before settling her gaze on Nozomi.

"Yeah... Whatever." With that, Nico turned around and left, leaving a guilty feeling in Nozomi's heart. She shouldn't have been rude to her, all considering. It had been a long time since they'd spoken to each other, and this wasn't how she wanted their latest 'conversation' to end. Gently setting Eli down on the floor, she jogged out of the room to catch up to Nico.

* * *

It wasn't difficult to make up the distance between them. After all, the cast still on Nico's foot slowed her movements, enough to where a casual stroll was fast enough. There was definitely acknowledgement of her existence in those ruby eyes, but she refused to look at or even speak to Nozomi as she slowed down to match the injured girl's pace. She looked back just to make sure Eli was following - and she was, dutifully as always - before trying to broach conversation again.

"Nicocchi, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude to you." No response. Nozomi expected this though, and she was determined to not be deterred by a cold shoulder. "Where are you going?"

"Store," she answered simply, staring straight ahead.

"I can come and help."

"I don't need help."

"Well I'm going anyway." It was a bold statement, a declaration of irrefutable intent. Nozomi wasn't one to put herself somewhere she wasn't wanted, but the tug of companionship was strong, and today she felt like being a little selfish, whether Nico liked it or not. Nico, meanwhile, stopped moving and narrowed her eyes at her unwanted walking partner. Silence hung over them until, with an exasperated sigh, Nico shrugged her shoulders and went back to walking, not sparing Nozomi another glance.

"Fine, do what you want. But you're not helping me, got it?" Nozomi couldn't help but grin slightly as the two of them exited the school, glad that she decided to push the underlying issue.

"Yes ma'am."

* * *

Getting to the store took a lot longer than usual, for obvious reasons, but Nozomi didn't mind, even if Nico spent most of the time swatting away her attempts at conversation. It felt different to be going somewhere with another person, but it was a nice kind of different, one that she wouldn't mind getting used to.

Nico was the first - and last - person that Nozomi ever considered a 'friend', though it was more of a 'casual acquaintance' variety. They had talked on occasion in their first year, since they had several classes together, but they were never close enough to hang out beyond that. Nozomi sighed softly to herself as she looked at Nico. For whatever reason, they'd just... drifted apart in their second year, and it was never the same.

"Why are you staring at me?" Nozomi's trip down memory lane was interrupted by her former casual acquaintance, who raised an eyebrow in annoyance.

"Ah, sorry." Nico didn't press - perhaps she didn't care - and they finally made their way into the store, with Nozomi's attempts to grab a basket quickly rebuffed.

"I told you I don't need help." She grabbed the basket herself and went for the aisles, leaving Nozomi to follow. One thing hadn't changed: Nico was still stubborn as all hell.

While they made their way from aisle to aisle, Nozomi wondered if Eli was doing okay. Obviously pets were not allowed in the store, so she had been forced to leave her guardian outside. She didn't think that Eli would run away, but it was probably boring out there. Then again, it wasn't all that exciting in here.

"So what happened to your leg?" This was her latest attempt at starting a conversation, built upon the stillborn remains of the last few tries. It certainly brought back memories of sitting around with Nico in complete silence during their first year. Even when they were on speaking terms, they barely ever... well, spoke. There was always something about her that seemed so guarded, and Nozomi had never figured out how to approach it.

"Twisted my ankle."

"Ah..." What was she doing there? The excitement and drive of rekindling an old friendship was quickly burning out into a small cluster of dying embers. It wasn't made any easier by Nico's disinterested demeanor. With a sigh, she wondered if maybe it'd just be better to give up. After all, she had her own problems to deal with, like where she was going to be living by the end of next week.

"Alright, what's wrong?" She almost bumped into Nico, who had stopped walking and was now giving Nozomi a narrowed but curious stare. Nozomi responded with her own look of confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"That is not the sigh of someone having a good time," Nico stated simply, placing her free hand on her hip. "If you're that bored, why'd you even bother making me take you along?"

"I'm not bored." She felt like she was on the defensive again, feeling more sensitive to Nico's accusations than she would have liked.

"Then what it is? Because it's not 'nothing'." Standing to the side to allow other shoppers to pass, Nozomi had to decide whether or not confide her problems to someone she really hadn't talked to in nearly two years.

"... Well, it is nothing. Let's just keep go-" Before she could even take a step, a hand fastened itself around her wrist, and she was forced to look into Nico's determined eyes.

"Come off it, Nozomi. Just because you say it's nothing doesn't mean I believe you. You're not as good at hiding things as you believe." The fake smile Nozomi had tried to make faltered quickly, wondering how Nico could have figured that out so easily. Was she that easy to read?

"You're more perceptive than I remember, Nicocchi." Nico grinned and puffed out her chest.

"I'm a lot more mature now, you know."

"Not in all areas."

"I can take back my concern any time now." Nozomi stifled a giggle before remembering what exactly Nico was trying to extract from her. Looking around to make sure they were alone in the aisle, her voice dropped to a whisper. The subject matter was a tad sensitive, and she didn't need everyone knowing about her living situation.

"Look, I'm... I have to leave my apartment next week, and I'm just having a problem finding a new place to live. Like I said, it's nothing." That 'problem', of course, was the fact that she didn't have any money to pay for new housing. Maybe the school wouldn't notice if she slept in the classrooms every night.

"I knew it wasn't nothing." Nico smiled triumphantly, then immediately went back to frowning. "Where are you going to stay, though? You can't live on the street. You don't seem like the 'street urchin' type."

"I told you, I don't know where I'm going to stay. I'll figure it out though." The two lapsed into the silence as they continued with Nico's shopping, the air around them a lot more subdued. The thought of being homeless made Nozomi feel very apprehensive, and she truly wasn't sure if she could find another place. She didn't want to burden anyone with that knowledge though, and she wouldn't have if Nico hadn't forced the information out of her. She'd figure something out.

They continued to not speak as Nico bought her groceries, finally allowing Nozomi to help by letting her carry one of the bags out of the store. Once they stepped onto the sidewalk, Nozomi had to hide a very amused smile at the sight that greeted them. There was a miniature rocket ship just outside the store, allowing any kid to drop a coin in and pretend to pilot the ride. Currently it was operational, with a very happy-looking kid riding inside, his mother watching with a smile on her face.

That wasn't the part that was so amusing, though. No, it was the certain feline standing at the head of the rocket, balancing perfectly on the bouncing ride as a sort of co-pilot for the kid. It was amusing, but it was also heart-warming, and Nozomi would have rushed over to give that blonde guardian a big hug, but she wasn't about to interrupt. Instead she stood there next to Nico, smiling at the scene until it ended and the kid climbed out. He gently ran a hand down Eli's spine, who purred at the touch, before waving and heading off hand in hand with his mother.

"Did you have a good trip, Commander Venus?" Nozomi walked over with a smile, administering her own petting for her favorite feline. A happy mewl was all the answer she needed to lift her spirits considerably.

"You're talking to that cat again?" Nico had made her way over and was watching them with something akin to amusement on her face.

"Well of course. Venus is my cat, after all." _'And a lot more than that.'_

"You're crazy, you know that?" Nico scoffed, then looked over Venus with a thoughtful gaze. "At least I'm not the only one,"

"Hmm? What do you mean, Nicocchi?" Instead of responding, Nico turned her thoughtful gaze elsewhere, leaving Nozomi hanging for a moment.

"Look, you don't have a place to live, right? And I daresay I'm pretty damn good at taking care of people. So why don't you come live with me? At least until you have enough money to find a place of your own." Nozomi's eyes widened at the offer. It was so tempting, but didn't Nico have siblings? If she remembered correctly, there were three, and adding another occupant would only make money tighter. She couldn't do that to her.

"Nicocchi, I couldn't-"

"You can and you will." Nico crossed her arms firmly, the bag of groceries she was holding bumping against her side. "No excuses. You're coming with me and you're going to like it." Leaving no room for further counter-arguments, she turned on her good heel and started shuffling forward. "And don't you dare try to sneak off because you don't want to inconvenience me or something. I'm not letting you steal my groceries like that."

Nozomi looked at Nico in stunned silence, then down at the grocery bag still in her hand. Finally, she exchanged glances with Eli before finally allowing a smile to form on her face. Not able to try and argue again, she casually started to walk after Nico, easily catching up. "I guess you leave me no choice, then. Thank you for your hospitality."

* * *

The sun was just beginning to set when they made it to Nico's house. Unlocking the door, Nico led Nozomi and 'Venus' inside, quietly closing the door and re-locking it. "Just set the groceries down in the kitchen, alright? I'll take care of them. Just make yourself at home." Setting the bag down on the kitchen table as requested, some kind of remembrance seemed to spark in Nico's eyes as she looked down at 'Venus'.

"I guess I should let you know, Princess doesn't really play well with others, so you might want to keep... Venus, was it? You might want to keep Venus with you for awhile."

"Princess?"

"My cat, yes. Don't let her grumpiness fool you, though: she's really sweet when she wants to be." As if on cue, a scarlet-furred feline, unmistakably this 'Princess', sauntered into the kitchen, roused by the sounds of strangers in the house. As soon as the two cats locked eyes though, they both froze in place, eyes wide and fur lifting in shock. Nico and Nozomi exchanged confused glances, unsure of what was going on with their cats.

"Princess? Is everything alright?" Nico left the groceries behind and went to the floor, gently scratching the feline behind her left ear. Immediately her demeanor changed, a satisfied look appearing on her face as her tail swayed gently behind her. Eventually though, she took notice of the two newcomers in the house, and Nozomi could have sworn her fur was redder than it had been a moment ago. Princess broke away from Nico's hand and darted out of the room, leaving her owner more confused than before. Shrugging to Nozomi, she got back up and went to go find her AWOL cat.

Nozomi was confused, but also curious about their behavior, especially considering how nervous Eli seemed. Emulating Nico's actions, she got on her knees and gently petted Eli, which helped to dissolve some of the tension that had formed. Leaning down so that only Eli could hear, she whispered, "What could you be hiding, Elicchi?"

Eli was definitely in trouble.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** And I got her... grocery bag. No matter how the story turns, no matter what universe it may be, Nico and Nozomi can never escape being best buds. It's inescapable. Eli is best co-pilot though. How will Nozomi adapt to her new surroundings? Will anyone else meet each other? And can Maki ever live down the embarrassment? Tune in next time! (Maki never lives it down.)


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Notes:** I'm still really surprised I've gotten to chapter eight in this amount of time. I'm usually not so inspired that I keep writing. Usually I'm really inspired, then run out of steam and throw myself into distractions instead. This is an improvement, at least.

* * *

"'Don't let her grumpiness fool you, though: she's really sweet when she wants to be.'" Eli tried her very best to be sympathetic. Well, for just under twenty seconds, anyway. She couldn't help it, though: the memory of their encounter in the kitchen was so... Maki.

"Eli!" Maki hissed in annoyance, stamping her foot to get her feelings across. The two had basically ignored each other for hours - for _some_ reason - but when their charges finally went to sleep, there wasn't much Maki could do to escape her inevitable torment. It was best to just get it over with now, though in the moment she was greatly regretting it.

"I'm sorry, Maki." Eli smiled at the fuming redhead, squeezing her shoulder sympathetically. This was a good distraction for Eli, admittedly. She knew that eventually the truth about her reaction to 'Princess' would be forced out of her - Nozomi was not someone easily denied - but she'd luckily escaped having that awkward conversation for the moment, as there wasn't much room in the Yazawa household to have a private conversation with one's talking cat.

"Hmpfh." Crossing her arms, Maki pointedly turned away, her cheeks slightly red.

"Would you feel better if I scratched behind your ear?"

"Mou! Eli!" Maki's face grew as red as her hair, and she was just glad that Honoka and Rin weren't there as well. That would make things so much worse. "Wh-what were you doing in Nico's house, anyway? Us being in the same place will only increase the chances of being revealed."

Eli grimaced, knowing that it was way too late to be worried about that, but she didn't want Maki to know that she'd screwed up. "It can't be helped. Nozomi needed a place to stay and Nico was gracious enough to offer her house."

"Why? What's wrong with her old place?"

"She..." Eli hesitated, the truth lingering on her lips. It wasn't like Maki would tell anyone, but it still felt like a private matter. She was sure that Nozomi felt that way too, but in all honesty both her and Nozomi were now intruding upon the place where Maki was living. Was it fair to keep her in the dark? "She's just not allowed to live there anymore." It was vague, and the truth was obscured by omission, but Eli hoped it would be enough to placate her friend.

"Mm... Well, we'll just have to be careful, then."

"Yeah..." Careful was her middle name, after all. Nothing to worry about...

* * *

When Kotori sat down at her desk, she didn't realize that they would be working on a project. To her further surprise, the project involved interviewing a first year. They would be assigned partners by a random drawing, which was a relief to Kotori: she didn't really know any first years well enough to ask them on her own.

A bowl was presented, with the prospective names written on a slim strip of white paper folded neatly inside. When it was her turn, she fished in and quickly pulled out a name, unfolding the paper and eyeing the name of her partner. _'Hmm... Koizumi Hanayo.'_ The name didn't ring a bell, but she suspected the majority of them wouldn't have either.

After everyone drew a name, they were allowed to leave class a few minutes early in order to exchange contact information with their partner. Kotori followed her classmates downstairs and into another room, where a teacher was helping pair up partners. A haphazard line had been formed, and so she waited patiently until she was looking up at the gentle smile of the teacher, and being led to a very nervous-looking girl, who seemed to want to look anywhere but at her.

"Koizumi Hanayo?"

"Y-Yes?" Hanayo's head snapped up as she forced herself to look at her upperclassman partner, and Kotori got the distinct impression that this was not something the stuttering junior was comfortable with. This project might have a few bumps in the road.

"Hi! I'm Minami Kotori. I hope we get along." She put on her best smile to try and put Hanayo at ease, but she wasn't sure it was working. Regardless, they only had so much time, so they exchanged contact information before having to make it to their next classes. As they waved goodbye, Kotori had a feeling that this was not going to be her easiest project.

* * *

The nervous tension roiling inside Hanayo's stomach was not a new feeling to her. Talking to people was such a nerve-wracking experience that it had kept her alone all her life, and now the absolute worst kind of school project imaginable had been thrust upon her: a partner interview. What kind of questions would Kotori ask of her? Would they be simple, or would they get too personal? Could she even answer any of them without breaking down into a stuttering mess? The different ways it could go ran through her mind, and none of them ended pleasantly. Her mother would not be too happy if she failed this.

Looking down at her feet, she wondered how bad of an impression she would make by bringing a cat to an upperclassman's house? Onigiri had tagged along happily, and Hanayo was glad to have her presence as moral support, but how would Kotori react? Now there was something new to fret about, and fret about it she did, all the way to the front door. It was time to ring the doorbell, and so she summoned up all of her courage and stood on the front porch, arms rigidly stuck to her sides. It was a marathon, not a sprint.

Onigiri was staring at her, and Hanayo could only guess that her cat was growing impatient with her dallying. Still, she didn't make any move to announce her presence, so Onigiri decided to take matters into her own paws.

The loud meowing startled Hanayo so bad she nearly fell over, and she looked down at Onigiri in alarm. "O-Onigiri, wh-wh-what are y-you doing?!" She just stared with that catty grin, and then she heard a voice from inside the house.

"Was that a cat?" _'O-Oh goodness.'_ Shame burned all over her face as she considered jumping into the nearest bush, but the door opening scuttled her contingency plans. Kotori stood at the door with a confused look on her face, but she brightened considerably upon learning that it was Hanayo. "Oh, Hanayo! You made it! Did you hear a-" That was when she looked down and answered her own question. "Is that your cat?"

"Y-Y-Yes, she is." This was a terrible way to start things off. Oh goodness, this was just awful.

"Aww, she's so cute!" _'Wait, what?'_ Hanayo stared with wide eyes as Kotori went down and petted Onigiri, who happily allowed such an action. Quietly, she let out a shaky sigh of relief. That could have gone a lot worse. "Why don't you both come inside? We can go up to my room." Thankful for the invitation, Hanayo bowed before entering and removing her shoes, Onigiri bouncing in with all of her insatiable energy.

"Oh, is this your project partner, Kotori?" A new voice, one with a gentle but more mature tone, entered the room, and if Hanayo had been surprised before, boy was she floored when she found herself staring right into the face of...

"P-P-Principal Minami-san?!" The principal was here? Wait, their last names... _Minami._ The sudden realization that Kotori was almost a spitting image of the smiling woman standing before them. Kotori was the principal's daughter?! Was it possible to get detention outside of school?

Principal Minami placed a hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh. "You don't need to call me that outside of school, Hanayo. Please, just call me Mrs. Minami." Hanayo wondered if her eyes were going to pop out of her head.

"M-Mrs. Minami, p-pardon the intrusion."

"You're not intruding, Hanayo-chan!" _'Hanayo-chan?'_ "We're going to go up to my room, mom."

"Don't get into too much trouble." There was a playful glint in Mrs. Minami's eyes, though Hanayo was still way too shocked to wonder what that could mean. Instead, she fell behind Kotori and followed her back to her room, Onigiri trying her hardest not to race ahead to a room she didn't know the location of.

Once they reached the room and Kotori opened the door, the first thing Hanayo's eyes were drawn to was the large ginger dog sitting in the middle of the room. Immediately Onigiri raced in towards the big canine. "O-Onigiri!" Hanayo cried, scared that her cat would try and hurt what very likely was Kotori's pet dog. To her great surprise, if she could be any more surprised today anyway, Onigiri instead enthusiastically nuzzled the dog's leg, who then lifted her up by the scruff and tossed her onto its back. Hanayo did not know what to say to that.

"Looks like she's already made fast friends with Pan." Kotori giggled as she closed the door and sat on her bed, Pan coming over with Onigiri on her back and resting her head on her owner's lap. With a smile, Kotori ran her hands through both pets' fur. Hanayo just stood there, not sure where to sit, if she should do anything at all. "Come sit down, Hanayo-chan." Kotori patted next to her on the bed, so that's where Hanayo went, fidgeting nervously.

She knew that Kotori was trying her best to be friendly, but she wasn't worth the effort. She felt bad that Kotori had to be stuck with such a useless partner, and she just wanted to do her best so that she didn't bring her upperclassman's grade down. The silence felt awkward, and she knew it was all her fault, but she couldn't get any words to form on her lips.

With the way Onigiri was looking at her, she could tell that her cat could sense her discomfort. It was uncanny the way the orange-furred feline could detect her every mood. With that, she jumped off of Pan and into Hanayo's lap, clambering up to her shoulders. Suddenly, Hanayo felt a paw pushing her glasses off of her face. "H-Hey!"

Leaping down, Onigiri picked up the spectacles with her mouth and jumped back onto Pan, placing them crookedly onto Pan's nose, who looked around in blurred confusion. Hanayo could feel her face heating up, but Kotori seemed amused. "You seem to have a really strong connection with Onigiri." She took the glasses from their playful pets and handed them back to Hanayo. "I feel the same way about Pan."

"R-Really?"

"Mhm! It's nice to have someone that's just... there, you know?" Hanayo froze, letting Kotori's words wash over her. It was true, and it was something that she wanted badly, but she never had the courage to go up and speak to someone. Now that she was being forced to, maybe it would work out for the best. A soft smile crossed her face before she nodded.

"Y-Yeah."

They didn't get very far into the project that day, but the conversation and companionship was a welcome respite from the usual days of loneliness. For once, Hanayo could go home with a smile, knowing that their project would mean that she'd get to keep hanging out with Kotori. She even allowed herself to hum softly on the way home, Onigiri purring happily at her side. In her good mood, she thought that maybe, just maybe, when the project was done they could still hang out. As friends.

A real friend.

* * *

It was inevitable that this was going to occur. There could only be so many times all four of them were in the same location. As Eli padded behind Nozomi to the shrine, she knew that it was only a matter of time before the subject of her reaction to 'Princess' would be broached. She was not wrong.

"So..." Nozomi stopped sweeping, a small but noticeable grin on her face. Eli gulped. "You seemed surprised to see Nicocchi's cat."

"I-I didn't realize she had one." Well, that was true, but it really skirted the issue.

"It seemed like maybe you knew her."

"Her? Me? That's... ahaha, that's interesting." Nozomi was giving her a look, _that_ look, the look of a person who could look right into your eyes and learn every little secret you keep. It wasn't often that she had been able to see such a bright look in those eyes, but it was certainly difficult to keep secrets from her.

"Elicchi..." Oh Gods, now she was pouting. _'Keep it together, Eli! You've already blown your cover. You will NOT blow Maki's cover. Repeat after me...'_

"I... Yes, I know her." _'Eli!'_ The enthusiastic gleam in her eyes sent Eli's heart aflutter, even if it was at her expense.

"So she's a guardian too, then?"

"Yes, but you can't tell Maki I told you, and certainly not Nico!"

"Her name's Maki, then?" _'Oh Gods, I'm so sorry, Maki.'_ Eli wondered if she should just reveal every single secret she held deep within if she was just going to spill everything to Nozomi at the drop of a hat. This was so not like her. She was sure it was not like her. "Ehehe, don't worry, Elicchi. Your secrets are always safe with me." A frown suddenly formed on Nozomi's face. "If Nicocchi has a guardian though... then she's like me?"

"Well, yes, but the situations can be different from person to person."

"It still means that Nicocchi is hurting." A sort of melancholic tension surrounded them for several moments, and Eli could see, however subtly, worry and regret mixed in Nozomi's gaze. When she broke the silence, however, her eyes were back to normal. "I have one more question, Elicchi."

"Only one?" Eli had a feeling that there were still more questions in store. Truth be told, if she was in Nozomi's position, she'd do the same.

"Scout's honor." She put a hand over her heart in sincerity, then her expression went back to a more serious look. "You're my guardian, which means you're an angel..." In the back of Eli's mind, she knew that this question would have eventually come up.

"How did you die?"

* * *

 **Author's Notes (2):** The unholy cliffhanger. Eli can't keep a secret to save her life, while Hanayo seems to be making a friend. A real friend and everything. What will Eli reveal next? Can Hanayo make a second friend? And what is Honoka's glasses prescription? Find out next time! Except for that last one, probably.

To all my faithful readers, if you ever notice that something I've written contradicts what I wrote in a previous chapter, don't hesitate to point it out to me. Gotta keep things consistent. Y'all are great.


	9. Chapter 9

Shouts and grunts sounded from all sides. Eli tried to block out the distracting noise and concentrate, her grip tightening on the silver sword in her hand. An enemy warrior crossed her path, and their blades dueled as many others did the same in the heat of battle. Out of the corner of her eye, a contingency of two were sneaking away. They were heading for an unassuming carriage. They were not friendly. Quickly dispatching of her opponent, Eli ran with urgency towards the two, knowing even a second delay could spell disaster.

As the carriage was moving slowly, too slow, away from the scene, one of the warriors ran his sword through the side of one of the horses, dropping it instantly. Seeing its fellow equine down for the count, the second horse bucked and reared up in fear, sending the carriage toppling over. Out of its wooden belly came two men, one of considerable age, the other just an adolescent. They were dressed in plainclothes, but anyone with a careful eye knew just who these two were: the king and his son, the heir to the throne.

Several years prior, the king's faithful wife had passed, and he had become too elderly to continue attempting the continuation of his line. With knowledge of him preparing to step down widespread, all eyes had turned to his son, who would attempt to rule as the last member of his lineage. Not all eyes were of reverence.

Wrapping his arms protectively around his son, the king thrust the boy behind him, trying to keep him safe as long as possible. "Traitors," he snapped, defiance burning in his eyes, the one trace of youth remaining on his elderly frame. "You'll die here today!"

"After you, my king." One prepared to strike, and Eli pushed her legs to speeds that she could not normally obtain. Her body slammed into the would-be assassin, sending his surprised figure sprawling onto the ground. Unable to successfully plant her feet, she wobbled and barely parried an assault from the second. The two clashed swords, but eventually Eli was able to regain her balance and the upper hand. With a small degree of triumph, a smile crossed her lips as she drove her sword through his chest, his eyes widening before the light dimmed within them, and he crumpled to the ground as his life essence drained from his body.

A low groan alerted her, and she turned only to find that she had failed: the king had slumped over, hands covering a rapidly-reddening wound upon his chest. She was too late: the king was dying. Even worse, her guard was temporarily down, and she could only attempt to lift her arm in vain as the assassin turned to her, driving his own sword into her chest. Pain burst through her body, her vision swimming as blood began pooling at the center of the insertion. _'No! It will not... end like this...'_

Summoning every ounce of strength from her rapidly-depleting storage, Eli kept herself standing, though every nerve in her body loudly protested. The surprise in his eyes was the last positive moment she was able to derive as she emulated his actions. As they both felt the blood pouring from their wounds, they both collapsed. Eli's breath was growing increasingly ragged, one of four punctured bodies dying around a scared boy who was, through events unfortunate, was now the king.

"My king..." She coughed, blood falling from her lips as every inch of her body hurt. Soon it wouldn't hurt. There wasn't time. Oh, there wasn't time. "You must... rally the troops. Take... back your kingdom. Avenge... your father..." Through her swimming vision, she could see him nod, and she knew how terrified he must be, but he had to rise above it. Her sword was still loosely held within her hand, and she felt it being taken from her. For a fleeting moment, she wondered if her king was going to mercy kill her, but instead she felt the sword come down slow, the tip resting upon her shuddering shoulder.

"Ayase-san... Your sacrifice will never be in vain. I will avenge you as I avenge my father."

Eli smiled softly, watching as the dark began to close in on her. No, _this_ was her last positive moment.

* * *

Nozomi's hands were covering her mouth as she listened to Eli's answer to her question, tears in her eyes. It was so tragic, yet so heroic. Despite such a tale being told from the mouth of a cat, it stirred her emotions to where she had to wipe her eyes to make sure no one saw her crying in public.

"Elicchi, you were so brave."

"I was just doing my duty." Nozomi's comments, however, made her fur grow hot, and she cast her eyes elsewhere, embarrassed at the praise. It was a lot more comforting when she felt Nozomi's hand on her fur, and they sat in silence for a little while, watching the sun set over the horizon.

"What about your friends?" The question cut through the silence, making Eli's feline self tense beneath the warm hand atop her spine. "Do you know their stories as well?" Maybe she should have seen this question coming too, but it didn't make answering it any easier. She knew, or at least she mostly knew. That was for her friends to explain though, and there wasn't a situation where that would occur. Besides, she didn't know _every_ story.

"Not everyone is willing to relive what happened to them in their lives," she responded carefully. "Some people haven't come to terms with their death."

* * *

Maki could feel her ears tingle. She wasn't sure why though. Well, maybe it was because Nico was doing her best to complain her ear off.

All day Maki had been cooped up in Nico's room, listening to her agonize over homework and complain about other students, or homework, or life. Initially she had started in Nico's lap, trying to be a good listener, but after twenty minutes she was on the desk, a bored expression on her face. By the time an hour had passed she had found herself burying herself beneath the covers on Nico's bed, trying to use them as a soundproofing fort. "Princess, what are you doing in there?"

She let out a mew of surprise as she found the covers thrown off of her, being lifted into the air as Nico picked her up and scratched behind her left ear. Trying to stay annoyed now seemed extremely difficult, and she found herself strangely relaxed, even purring beyond the normal means of politeness. _'Damn her for finding this weakness.'_ Ugh, it felt good.

It didn't take long for Nico to give up on trying to do her homework. Calling an audible, she decided that the best course of action was to take a nap. That would bring proper perspective to her brain. Maki just rolled her eyes as Nico rested her head on the desk and closed her eyes. She was just being lazy.

Though perhaps opportunity arose from her innate laziness. Moving closer, Maki checked to make sure that her charge was deep into her sleep. What she wanted to do was risky, but when she determined that Nico was indeed fast asleep, she found herself compelled to do it. She took the gamble and left. There was something she wanted to see.

* * *

For days it had bothered her. Initially she was scared to even go near the building that had once been like a second home to her, but now an undying curiosity drove her to return. Still in her feline form, Maki snuck into the Nishikino Hospital.

This was not a good idea. Nothing she found in there would make her feel better, but that damn curiosity was like a need, and it pushed her forward, ducking around corners so as not to be seen by any of the staff or patients. It had been so very long, but the way to the head office, the office of _Dr. Nishikino_ , was still second nature to her. She tried desperately to make herself give up whatever insane quest she was going on, but continually she didn't listen.

Why was she doing this? She couldn't reveal herself, and it would only hurt to see the man she once called Papa, or the woman she knew as Mama, and be farther from them than she ever had. All those nights she went to bed alone because they were too busy at the hospital, _this hospital_ , she was still there, just like them. Now, if she stood right in front of them, she might as well have been on another planet. She pushed on.

The quiet hum of the elevator stopping on the first floor stalled her paws, and quickly she ducked behind a potted plant, waiting for the occupants to pass. When the only occupant did pass, however, Maki did not continue. Her eyes were wide, her fur rising in disbelief, and she couldn't take her eyes off the man who walked past unaware.

It was in the way he walked, concentrating solely on his work that he held within his hands. It was in the weary but determined look within his eyes, one that seemed as if they would never waver no matter what the task. Most of all, however, it was the hair, smart and properly cut, still holding the vibrancy of a deep, smoldering red. There was no mistaking who this man could be. Even having never met this person, Maki could see a near-image of herself walking down the white halls. She could see a perfect match for her _father_ heading for another area of the hospital, out of sight but not out of mind. Of course it wasn't her father, too much time had passed for him to look so... so young.

At what point she started to run, she didn't know. It wasn't the first time she'd tried to escape the entity of Nishikino Hospital since her appointment as a guardian. What a stupid, _stupid_ idea. _'They were never there, but they always loved me.'_ A scream rang out, something about a cat in the halls, but she didn't stop. _'They missed important dates, but they would always celebrate them with me.'_ She couldn't see, and so she threw herself blindly through the halls, memorization having been clouded by an unnaturally misty day. _'They raised me... They loved me...'_

The doors had already slid open due to a new patient coming inside, and they were certainly startled by a scarlet feline racing past them and into the sunlight, her lungs begging for breath but her paws keeping her moving. Finally she could run no more, and she collapsed against the wall of an adjacent building, the entire world beheld by her vision swimming in oceans of stinging pain. _'They moved on... They replaced me.'_ It hurt so bad.

* * *

Eli leaned against her arm, staring across the table at nothing in particular. For a table that included Honoka and Rin, it was extremely quiet. The sound of silence was unnatural. "Do you think..." Honoka started to speak, but stopped and let the question fade away, looking down at her hands instead. Even Rin, who was usually the most rambunctious of them all, seemed unwilling to try and break the silence. She just sat there tracing patterns on the table's surface.

"It'll be okay." Eli said this more to herself than anybody else, and nobody responded regardless. Her eyes glanced at the fourth seat against her will, as if believing that this time someone would be occupying it. There wasn't. This was the fifth day of just them being at their usual spot. It was the fifth day without Maki.

One night with just the three of them had been fine, but two in a row was cause for at least a bit of concern. It had been five. "Have you tried talking to her?" Honoka was finally able to put a question out there, but it felt forced, with none of the usual cheeriness in her voice. Of course she had tried. They knew about their current living situation; she had already told the two of them about how hers and Maki's charges were now under the same roof. She figured that she could just talk to Maki when no one else was around, but those few times that she got, she was brushed off. Maki wouldn't talk to her.

In fact, she hardly even saw the redhead anymore. She seemed to just stay hidden away in Nico's room, barely venturing out of those confines and never stepping foot outside the house. Every attempt at conversation was rebuked, and she didn't know what to try next. Even Nico seemed to be slightly concerned, though Eli couldn't ask her about her worries, no matter how much she wanted to. That was one mistake she was not going to make again.

"Yeah, I... I'll just have to try again." There was no conviction in her voice though, and her two friends both slumped against the table, looking uncharacteristically gloomy. She couldn't blame them, though. It was too weird without their fourth there to bring a more cynical levity to the group. This was something that shouldn't be so hard. Eli considered herself good at being there for others, to guide them with proper advice and a willing ear, whether it was her mission as a guardian or just to help a fellow angel in need.

She couldn't reach Maki, though. For all the years they'd known each other, she knew that her friend was not eager to open up, but every so often she felt herself grow closer, opening up the door between them ever so slightly. Now it seemed like the door had been bolted shut, a wall built up to keep her attempts at understanding out. No matter how hard she tried, she could never truly break down those walls that actively shut her out.

She had failed. The king was dying all over again.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Poor Maki. I always seem to torture my favorite characters. That's no good. So now we know Eli's history, and her shining example in battle. We'll all avenge you, Ayase-san. Meanwhile, Maki's curiosity continues to haunt and hurt her. Can Eli break down those walls and find out what happened? Find out... soon! I hate to leave you all hanging, but Umi's feeling left out, so we're gonna find out what's going on with her and her new friend, Kotori. And maybe that dumb, lovable dog too.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Notes:** I do not write Kotori/Umi stuff well. I'm not sure if it's just having the two characters in one place, or I just can't write either of them regardless, but I don't feel like my writing about them is very strong. Maybe I need to read some other writings about them to get a better look. We're going right back to angst after this and you can't stop me.

Also, to Camay: No spoilers, but I think Eli might be really feeling that spiritual power B)

* * *

Arrow after arrow hit their mark, that tiny little bullseye in the middle of the target. There was no expression of satisfaction on Umi's face, however: this was a normal occurrence, after all. She would not celebrate the obvious.

While she waited for the return of her arrows, Umi spared a glance towards the taupe-haired girl sitting on a nearby bench with a warm smile on her face. Now that was a reason to express satisfaction. It seemed that nowadays, whenever she was practicing her archery, Kotori would be there watching. Of course, wherever she was, it seemed that her dog would always follow. Umi felt little annoyance for Pan nowadays, though. She could be way too eager sometimes, but she seemed to be a good compliment for Kotori and, secretly, she was grateful that she no longer had to go retrieve her own shots. Pan was more than happy to do that for her.

Today was different than the previous days, however: Kotori had brought a friend. A rather timid first year named Koizumi Hanayo. The two of them were doing a project together, and today they had decided to meet and discuss it while watching Umi. She tried not to let it distract her, though.

Interestingly enough, Hanayo also had a pet, an orange tabby, who had been wandering around for a little bit until her owner corralled her back to the bench. It was okay at first to let her pad around, but when she started to try and snatch Umi's arrows out of the air, then it had become a problem. First a dog, then a cat, plus the alpaca pen a short distance away, she could've sworn they were starting a zoo in the area.

It was nice to see Kotori talking so easily with another student. While she would never dare pry into the personal lives of others, Umi sometimes wondered if there was anyone else Kotori wanted to hang out with. After all, though she wasn't around her friend at all hours of the day, they sure did spend a lot of time together lately. She wouldn't pry, but she hoped that Kotori wouldn't become too dependent on her. It wasn't healthy.

She imagined that her thoughts on this were born from a place of selflessness. Kotori was her only friend, truth be told, and while many might consider that a life of loneliness, Umi thought it more as a life of focus and reflection. She didn't allow herself to become distracted by fleeting events and trivial emotions, yet Kotori had become her one exception, her one distraction. Admittedly, it felt good to have someone watching her, to sit there and enjoy what she was doing beyond the means of competition. Still, she was a person of great determination, and she couldn't let herself get completely off track from her goals, and that was why she was happy to see Kotori and Hanayo hanging out together.

She could never be a good enough friend for someone as innocent as Kotori.

* * *

Kotori was smiling patiently as she jotted down some notes on Hanayo's fascination with idols. It had taken some time to get the shy girl to start opening up, but now their conversations seemed to flow much more easily, and Kotori was happy to have another person to talk to. Plus, it made their project go smoother. She was writing a couple notes about some idol Hanayo met when she suddenly changed course.

"K-Kotori-chan?"

"Mm?"

"H-How did you get Sonoda-senpai to talk to you?" Kotori thought on it for a moment, remembering the slightly embarrassing but still nice memory of the first time she and Umi had spoken.

"Well, I was watching her practice, but I couldn't get myself to talk to her. Pan sort of... pushed me into doing it, ehehe." Kotori rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment, watching as an understanding look appeared on Hanayo's face.

"Onigiri did the same for me when I spoke to Kira-san." What a coincidence. Kotori looked down at Onigiri, whose eyes were shining with interest now that she was being talked about, and then over towards Pan, who was doing her best imitation of Umi drawing back her bow.

"I guess both of our pets are really looking out for us." Both Kotori and Hanayo smiled at this, laughing when Onigiri tried to paw at both of their faces. That was one thing they both had in common: their lives had definitely changed when Pan and Onigiri came into their lives. For the better.

* * *

When Nozomi came home - well, Nico's home - from her duties as a shrine maiden, she was met with a curious sight: a worried-looking Nico. It wasn't that she thought that Nico was never worried: she had just never seen that expression on her face. As soon as she closed the door, Nico went straight for her, looking like she had been waiting for awhile.

"Nozomi, are there, like, therapy veterinarians?"

"What?" That was not the question she was expecting. Well, she didn't actually have any idea what to expect, but this certainly wasn't it.

"Like a therapist for animals, you know?"

"I've never heard of one."

"Damn." Nico turned and began to pace the room, but quickly stopped and slammed her first into her palm. "Oh! I once heard about this 'dog whisperer' guy! Do you think there's one of those for cats?"

"Nicocchi, that's a TV show." Making her way over to Nico, Nozomi placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "What's going on? Is something wrong with Princess?" The look that Nico gave her confirmed it without any words.

"She's been so... I dunno, distant lately. Like, I try to pet her, but she's completely unresponsive, and she barely eats any of the food I give her. Maybe it's not good. I can't afford any of that high class snooty stuff, though." While Nico continued to talk, Nozomi's mind drifted to the one person who would know what was going on: Eli. She was the only one who knew that Eli and Maki were guardians and not just simple cats, but she had a feeling that Eli wouldn't be so eager to give up any information. After all, there would be trouble if they were revealed... again.

Still, even she had noticed Maki's anti-social behavior, and her curiosity would eventually lead her to asking Eli about it. What could she do with that information, though? If she told Nico, she would have to explain how she knew, and she couldn't let Nico know: she had promised to keep silent. That was so frustrating, though. She hated that she could potentially find out how to quell Nico's worries, yet couldn't do anything about it. _'This must be how Elicchi feels.'_

"Maybe you should try talking to her, Nicocchi."

"I've tried tha- I mean no. I don't talk to animals, Nozomi. I'm not weird like you." Nozomi giggled softly, patting Nico's shoulder. Such a stubborn one, she was.

"There's a first time for everything." Nico just grumbled in response.

* * *

Umi wasn't sure if she had ever been nervous before. Maybe a little before competitions, but she'd always been so self-assured that it didn't bother her. This, though? Yes, this was definitely her nerves acting up. She knew this wasn't a good idea, but she had no obligations keeping her from saying no. On top of that, she didn't want to say no anyway. The thought gave her a strangely positive feeling, one that had made her feel warm all day. Now the sun was just about to set, and she was standing there trying to push aside the anxiety that was not a normal thing for her, these feelings that made her hesitate of all things before knocking on the door. With the moment already here, she was still trying to prepare herself to sleep over at Kotori's house.

This was a new experience for her. Her first time at Kotori's, and it was for something as bonding as a sleep over. She knew that good friends did things like this, but it wasn't something she had put much stock in. After all, she already knew and accepted the fact that she could not be a good enough friend for Kotori, so why was she now being invited to something that was reserved specifically for good friends? The door opened before she could further contemplate on this.

"Ah, you must be Umi." The smiling face of Kotori's mother, Principal Minami, greeted her, stepping aside to allow Umi passage inside the house.

"Good evening, Principal Minami." She bowed respectfully, coming back up to find her grinning.

"This is going to happen a lot, isn't it?" She gave off a forlorn look, then brightened up in a flash. "Please, just call me Mrs. Minami. I'm not your principal outside the school grounds."

"Ah, my apologies, Mrs. Minami." Umi bowed once more, and this time upon getting back up she saw Kotori almost racing down the stairs, stopping in front of them with a hint of red on her cheeks.

"Mom, I told you I got it!"

"Sorry dear, but I wanted to meet your new friend." Mrs. Minami then leaned down and whispered something to her daughter. While Umi couldn't hear what was said - and it wasn't polite to eavesdrop anyway - whatever it was caused Kotori's face to go completely red.

"M-Mom!" Suddenly, Umi found her hand being grabbed, and she was pulled away by a clearly flustered Kotori, having to start moving on her own lest she take a painful fall. She took a quick glance over her shoulder, seeing Mrs. Minami giving them a smile and a wave.

"What did she say-"

"Just wants us to have fun!" For someone who already had a high-pitched voice, Kotori now sounded like she was trying to imitate a dog whistle. Umi didn't press any further, allowing Kotori to drag her down the hall and into her room.

Pan was very happy to see Umi, bouncing over to greet her with a loud bark. Umi smiled and petted her gently, watching her tail wag rapidly in response. She then followed Kotori to the bed, where they sat next to each other. Umi's attention was suddenly captured by a plain-looking notebook half-covered by a pillow. "Kotori?" She pointed at the notebook. "If I may ask, what is that?"

Kotori was blushing a lot more than usual. Umi was somewhat confused and concerned about how her friend was feeling, watching as she tentatively grabbed the notebook and hugged it to her chest. "Oh, it's, uh... just some drawings. It's nothing, really."

"Oh?" Now Umi was curious. Curiosity tended to lead to only trouble, but for once, there wasn't any belief that something bad would happen. She didn't feel that bad things would happen when she was with Kotori. "I would love to see them, if you are comfortable with that."

There was hesitance in Kotori's eyes, and Umi thought that she was going to say no. However, instead she handed over the notebook, laying it on top of Umi's hands. "Th-They're not finished, so it's not good yet." It was like she was trying to temper Umi's expectations. Wondering what could be in the notebook, she opened it up to the first page.

Designs. Page after page of clothing designs, each piece drawn with intricate care. So Kotori was into fashion, then. She could believe that. "Wow, Kotori, these are incredible." Was the room growing hotter? Kotori seemed to be burning up. Maybe she should open the window.

"Th-They're not that great," she mumbled quietly, looking at her hands.

"Well I think they are." Umi closed the notebook and handed it back to Kotori, a smile on her face. "And if you enjoy doing it, then that is all that matters, right?" Kotori seemed stunned, but slowly a smile of her own broke out.

"Y-Yeah!"

* * *

Their very first argument was about sleeping arrangements. Kotori was adamant that Umi sleep in her bed while she slept on the floor, while Umi was equally adamant concerning the opposite. Neither of them seemed to want to budge on being chivalrous, so Pan padded over and pushed against Kotori's legs. Caught by surprise, Kotori squeaked as she fell onto the bed. Umi was about to ask if she was okay, but then Pan moved to her, and she found herself moving up onto her toes, and then she too fell onto the bed. How ungraceful.

They both stared at Pan, then Kotori giggled and ran her hand through the canine's fur. "I think Pan wants us to both take the bed."

"Wh-What?" Umi found her voice faltering, shocked at what Kotori was suggesting.

"Is that not okay?" Kotori frowned slightly, and Umi immediately felt guilty. No, Kotori would never suggest something so... so shameful deliberately. She was too innocent for that. How could she now deny a request based in purity?

"Of course it is! I mean, I see no reason why not to." Okay, so maybe that was a lie. It was a tiny little lie though, so she figured it was worth it to see Kotori smile again. That Pan, though... such a troublemaker.

* * *

Maybe she should have opened that window. Umi felt that heat all over her body, but she didn't dare remove the covers for fear of waking the girl next to her. Kotori seemed to have no problems sleeping, resting peacefully while Umi tried to purge her mind of any and all thoughts. It did not do any good. It was way too hot.

* * *

 **Author's Notes (2):** No Umi, not you too. Everybody's so angsty, man. But it's cool, 'cause Umi is very confident in her beliefs. Except when she's at a sleepover? Come on, Umi, get it together. Mrs. Minami, what were you whispering? Was it about Umi? Please don't ship your daughter with her friends. Next time, I'm gonna shake off this fluff and dive right back into angst. Probably. It's like a drug. Don't do drugs.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Notes:** Just a quick little note to Kamilia - You gotta trust Honoka and Rin a bit more than that. When have they ever done something reckless? ... Wait, don't answer that.

Seriously though, we shall see~ I try not to give spoilers, which is sometimes helped when I don't know where I'm going per chapter. You all are so great though! Thank you for so much continuing to read and comment, especially if this chapter doesn't scare you off. The angst is so real.

* * *

He stayed at the hospital late into the night. He was dedicated to his job, to saving lives. It seemed wrong, even immoral to hate someone like that, but she did. Maki hated this man who had so unfairly replaced her in her parents' hearts.

She knew that it was wrong. He didn't choose to be born, and she doubted that he spent every night taking great pride in having what should be hers. Rational thought held no place when emotions were in full control of her brain, however, so nearly every night she sat and watched, waiting for him to leave so she could glare at him, to curse his name while having only enough logical control to not run out there and yell at him. What good would that do, to reveal herself? It wasn't his fault, but oh God how much she hated him.

All the time she spent keeping up appearances, all the years she'd spent bottling up her emotions, it all came crumbling down whenever he would walk through those doors. For nearly two weeks she snuck out when Nico was busy, and she allowed herself to give in to her stupid, illogical emotions. No matter how many times she told herself that this was dangerous, on top of being unhealthy, she would keep coming back, deliberately staring at and misconstruing his smiles through wet, wavering eyes. Five minutes of breaking down was all she would allow herself, and then she would return to the Yazawas before anyone noticed her continued disappearance.

Tonight she decided to splurge and gave herself six minutes. It was probably the worst night out of the last two weeks, when he walked out of the hospital with his - _her_ \- aging father. Seeing him made it even worse, and she was already crying nearly a minute ahead of schedule. Silent sobs wracked her body as she tried to watch them through a waterfall, reaching out with her arm as if she could touch them, interact with them. They walked away without noticing her presence, like always, like it was supposed to be. If she didn't have that medicinal training still memorized in her mind, she would have truly believed her heart had snapped right in half.

Six minutes. That was more time than she had, and they were gone anyway. Even though her eyes were still stained with tears, she needed to go. Cleaning herself off as best she could, she forced herself to slip back into a calm, disinterested mood as she shifted back into her feline form and went back home.

* * *

Nico was still showering when Maki returned to her room. This allowed her to compose herself further before anyone attempted to interact with her. Beyond the sounds of running water, another sound reached Maki's heightened ears, and they were distinctly human. An intruder? Making sure her pawsteps were as silent as possible, she slipped out of Nico's room and made her way to the living room, pressing against the wall so to remain unseen. Slowly she poked her head around the corner, looking over every darkened part of the house, but her gaze was pulled towards the couch when another noise came from that area.

When she finally realized what was going on, her eyes widened in initial shock, but soon enough they were narrowing in another, angrier emotion. It wasn't an intruder, but this was definitely worse. The problem wasn't that Nozomi was laying on the couch, because that was where she slept. The problem also wasn't that she had her arms wrapped around another person who was laying atop her. That may have been mortifying to see, but it was her decision to do what she wanted. No, the problem here was the _who_ , the decidedly feminine body laying oh-so comfortably atop Nozomi, the decidedly feminine body with the unmistakably blonde hair, the decidedly feminine body with the unmistakably blonde hair who was in _so much trouble_!

Maki found herself shifting back into human form as she stomped over to the couch and grabbed the blonde by her shirt, yanking the surprised woman up hard and forcing her to stare into a pair of furious amethyst eyes. "Eli! What the _Hell_ do you think you're doing?!"

"M-M-Maki!" Eli's eyes were wide and fearful, like a deer caught in the headlights while _making out with her charge_! She tore her eyes away from her friend and tried to look at Nozomi for help, but her charge was just as stunned as she. This was bad. This was really bad. Slowly, tentatively, like a child who was caught doing something bad, Eli looked back at Maki, shrinking back instantly.

The redhead was glad that it was dark, because in the light Eli would have definitely noticed the crimson hue that had taken over her face at the sight she had been forced to behold. This allowed her to maintain the advantage of righteous fury. "Rule one, Eli: we do _not_ reveal ourselves to our charges! _You_ told us that!"

"I-I know!" Eli tried to pull back any strands of dignity, but it was really hard to with Nozomi's hips still pressing against her own. "I-It was an accident!"

"An _accident_?!" That excuse did not seem to work. "Do you have any idea how much trouble we're in now that _she_ -" She pointed right at the still-unmoving Nozomi. "-knows?" The darkness lifted, causing all three girls to blink at each other in confusion. Three pairs of eyes turned towards the switch, where a still-wet and towel-clad Nico was staring at them with a nonplussed expression.

"Nozomi, are you having a three-way on a school night?" If it wasn't for the fact that there were three sleeping children in the house, Maki would have screamed to high Heaven. Eli could only wonder if there was a prayer in the world that could bring her forgiveness.

"Nicocchi..." Nozomi finally spoke, a small frown on her face, but quickly the corners of her mouth turned upwards. "You know I wouldn't do something like that without inviting you." Nico scowled while the two guardians did rather nice impressions of a tomato. This was not the best time for Nozomi to start teasing someone.

"Just... Ugh, just get these two bimbos out of my house."

"Bimbo?!" Maki had found her anger again, and before Eli could beg her to not cause a scene, the redhead had crossed the room and was glaring down at Nico. "I am _not_ involved with them," she hissed, and if it was possible steam would have been pouring out of her ears.

"Look, I don't care what you're doing, just don't do it in my-" Her voice died when she looked into those eyes. Those wet yet fiery pools of violet looked so familiar, too familiar. "Princess...?" No, that wasn't possible. It couldn't be possible. Just because this random girl had the same eyes as her cat... and her hair color was the same as her fur, did _not_ mean that this human was her cat. Nope, no way no how. That did not make sense, and she was not liking how no one was immediately asking her what kind of ridiculous thing she was talking about.

"Why aren't you denying this?" The redhead was seemingly frozen in shock, and the other two just seemed ashamed. No, no, absolutely not. "You are not a cat. This is not happening. Nozomi, say something!" But Nozomi said nothing, and now Nico was standing there having to contemplate something very stupid: that she was talking to a cat.

"I am going to get dressed, and you are all going to tell me just what the hell is going on."

* * *

Nico was not ready for this. Just like Nozomi before her, Eli - now teaming with an unhappy Maki - had to explain to her the whole story of the guardians, and how she was some sort of loser who needed a guardian angel to keep them on the right path. That wasn't exactly verbatim, but that's what Nico got out of it. Eli expected that Nico would take it in a similar way to Nozomi. She was not correct.

"So the Gods think I'm incapable of handling myself, then?"

"N-No! We're just here to be a silent but comforting presence for those who are going through a rough time."

" _Supposed_ to be silent."

"Maki!" Eli felt greatly flustered, embarrassed at having been caught and now trying to push through it to explain themselves to someone who was not very happy about it. If she fainted, maybe she could get out of it.

"Well maybe Nozomi needs a..." She glanced between her and Eli, snorting derisively. "... _cuddle buddy_ , but I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

"Try being a bit more grateful." Maki frowned and crossed her arms. "We're here for you both, you know."

"Well I don't need help," Nico growled pridefully, crossing her own arms even tighter. "And I don't need you either, _Princess_. I feel lied to." The change in Maki's eyes was immediate. Eli could almost feel the hurt emanating from her gaze, but she wasn't able to say anything before those eyes hardened angrily, the blonde's hands automatically finding Nozomi's and clutching them tightly.

"You're not the only one," she spat, standing up and giving Nico a glowering look before turning it on Eli, who flinched at the sight. "You deal with her. I'm done." She turned and stormed out of the room, ignoring Eli's quiet but frantic call for her to come back. The cloud of anger that had settled into the room followed Maki out, but it left an uncomfortable tension, where Nico realized that she may have said something wrong, and that she was also crazy for believing any of this.

"I don't get this at all," Nico groaned, rubbing two fingers against her temple. No wonder this was supposed to be secret: who could think they were sane after hearing all of this? She certainly didn't.

"It does take some time to get used to." Nozomi smiled sympathetically, but Nico couldn't deal with this. Her and Nozomi both had guardians, and they were cats, and they all were living under the same roof. No, this made no sense at all. In fact, she downright refused to believe it. Sure, the proof was right there in front of her, but she didn't know how she could continue to function properly with this knowledge hanging above her head.

"You know what, I'm going to bed. I am going to sleep, and when I wake up, this will all have been just a dream. You are just a normal high school student, Nozomi, and so am I. We both have normal, non-angelic cats, and they are just our pets and do not have human forms." Making sure to get her point across that everything was normal, she glared at the not-normal 'Venus'. "There will be no strangers in this house, and we will continue to lead our normal, non-insane lives. Do I make myself clear?" Nozomi and Eli could only nod silently, not willing to invoke Nico's anger so soon after dealing with Maki's. Like guardian, like charge, they guessed.

"Good. Now, goodnight." Nico stood up and walked back to her room, not giving either of them a second glance. Once she was out of sight, Eli let her head drop onto Nozomi's shoulder, sighing miserably.

"I messed up, Nozomi." Tears formed in the corners of her eyes, and with her hands being held by Nozomi, she couldn't bring them up to wipe them away. A shiver ran down her spine as she was mentally slammed by the gravity of their situation. She had already made a mistake by revealing herself to Nozomi, but now she had exposed Maki, and to both of their charges. Maki was furious and Nico was obstinate, and on top of all that, she had broken rule four. After all the rules she had propped up and then smashed without thought, this one was probably the one that hurt the most: she had grown feelings for her charge. The _wrong_ kind of feelings.

Her hands were freed as Nozomi gently stroked her hair, and the comfort she felt only served to make her feel more guilty and so much worse. How could she be a guardian now, much less a mentor, with her casual disregard for the rules? She hated how positively her body responded to each caress from her charge's soft hands, from each kiss placed upon her forehead. How could her heart feel so alight with passion while her brain felt beyond horrible?

"I messed up. I messed up." People would get suspicious. Would Nico tell anybody? Now Maki seemed farther off than ever. How could she face Honoka and Rin now that she had made things that much worse? This was her fault. It was all her fault, and no matter how good it felt to curl up closer to the warm body silently consoling her, it just served to highlight how bad she had been.

"I messed up." Nozomi could never just be her charge anymore, and that meant everything she had so carefully cultivated, everything she had built up, was laying in ruins before her. There was nothing else to say: she had messed up.

* * *

A pair of violet eyes watched from the corner of the room as Nico walked in and flopped down on the bed, letting out a muffled groan into the bedsheets before going quiet. Ever since she had stormed out, Maki had returned to her feline form and sheathed and unsheathed her claws in frustration. The carpet wasn't happy with her actions, but she held nothing but disdain for it. It wasn't her job to care about Nico's stupid carpet. She felt so low.

Her mind was being assaulted by many violent emotions, all fighting for control. She was angry at Eli for revealing them, and Nico for being so rude, and _him_ for... for existing. Maybe she was angry with herself for allowing her emotions to control her actions, but she was more angry with them. They did things without thinking, without caring. Nico didn't need her, Nico didn't care about her.

What did that matter though? It was only her job to be there for Nico, and Nico didn't need her, so she didn't need to be there. Of course she would get stuck with a silly, stupid charge. The way she felt didn't matter, as long as Maki continued doing her job. No matter how her charge felt about her, she would stay and do her job, because that was what she was there to do. She wasn't going to allow anyone to doubt her commitment.

She didn't care. It wasn't important.

She hated how badly it hurt.

* * *

 **Author's Notes (2):** Eli, the job. One job. You're getting a performance review, I swear. Now everybody's upset and angsting, dangit. Except for Nico, who is just dreaming. It's all a dream, right Nico? Delusion is one hell of a drug. Maybe this is _too_ angsty. I'm much more into writing that than fluff, but that may not be the best. I'll do my best Umi honor apology for your forgiveness. Next time: flashbacks, and Honoka and Rin finding fun things to do!

Also, the song "Clouds" by Neva Dinova is great. That's my recommendation for the day.


	12. Chapter 12

Boredom easily set in for someone as playful as Rin, but she had kept herself calm and composed out of respect for everybody's low mood due to Maki's absence. It had hurt her too, of course, and at times she felt like things would never feel the same again. Now, however, it had been two weeks since she had last seen Maki, and even Eli wasn't showing up as often, meaning most days it was just her and Honoka waiting around for their more leader-like members to not show up.

"I'm so bored!" Honoka complained, letting her face fall against the table to illustrate her point. Rin was in complete agreement, but there really wasn't anything they could do. It was clear that neither Eli nor Maki were going to show up, and it was the middle of the night, meaning their charges were asleep. She hated to even think it, but maybe, just maybe, there was absolutely nothing for them to do. Even the thought was boring.

"Oh! I have an idea!" Honoka shot up suddenly, passion flaring up in her eyes as she grabbed Rin's shoulders and forced them to lock eyes. "Let's have a race!"

"... A race?" When the idea finally clicked in her head, a big grin spread over Rin's face. A midnight race sounded like a great idea! "A race! Yeah, let's do it!"

"We need someone else, though."

"We do?"

Honoka nodded sagely, as if the answer was obvious. "The more the better, right?" She tapped her chin in thought, looking up towards the white. "But who can we get?..." They both looked at each other, then grinned. Of course: she was always up for some fun.

* * *

"No. Absolutely not." She was definitely up for it. Both Honoka and Rin tried their best pouting faces, but it seemed to hold no sway over the girl, who crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at the two gingers. "Every time you rope me into your little games, someone gets in trouble, and somehow it tends to be me." She seemed rather obstinate about not having fun.

"Aww, c'mon Yukihoooo-chan." Yukiho, however, would not budge. Honoka frowned deeply, getting right into her little sister's personal space. "You don't even know what it is!" Well, she wasn't actually Honoka's little sister: they both just happened to share the same bloodline. Yukiho, however, led her life many, many years later, and now had to spend her eternal bliss dealing with Honoka's antics. She was pretty sure she got cheated.

"... Fine. What is it, then?" There wasn't much that would deter Honoka, so it was better to just get it over with.

"A race!"

"... A race?"

"That's what Rin-chan said." Yukiho looked over towards Rin, but she seemed just as excited, which meant that, as usual, she would have to be the responsible one. That had never gotten her anywhere so far.

"Okay then, where exactly are you holding this 'race'?"

"Down on Earth! We can figure out the course where our charges live."

"What? No! No way!" By now she knew that Honoka could come up with some crazy ideas, but this was completely reckless. They risked so much by running around down on Earth, even in the dead of night.

"We're going to be in our animal forms, Yukiho-chan. Nobody'll even notice." Honoka smiled, a smile so cheerful and innocent and assured that they would have lots of fun. How did she stay so optimistic about her dangerous plans? She knew that she should hold firm and say no, but Honoka might just bug her all night. Besides, there really _was_ nothing to do tonight... How did Honoka always get her way?

"Alright, fine! But we stay in our animal forms, and we're back here within an hour. No meandering around, got it?" They just smiled brightly at her, and she sighed softly. They probably hadn't heard a word she'd said.

* * *

The three of them were standing in front of Kotori's house, the route of their race already established. Starting from Kotori's house, they would take whatever route they saw fit through some of the businesses and fenced homes to Rin's place, then back: first to make it won. There wasn't any prize, but Yukiho had a feeling that there was some form of pride on the line. Or maybe they just really liked to goof off. She was there though, so what excuse did she have?

"Honoka..." Shaking her head, Yukiho looked on in disbelief at the big, shaggy dog that represented her brethren. "I thought we were all supposed to be felines."

"Huh, Eli-chan said that too."

"Maybe others have a point, then."

"Okay, from three!" Rin called out excitedly, ready to get things underway. The others got set up, Yukiho with her normal reluctance, and Rin began to count down. "Three! Two! One! ... Go!" And they were off, sprinting forward with the elegance of regal felines and the... exuberance of a great dane. That's one way of putting it.

The streets were devoid of humanity as the three animals ran across, though Yukiho made sure to hiss at them to look both first true obstacle was a wooden fence that led into an alleyway behind a building, an obstacle that the two felines were easily able to jump onto and over. Honoka, meanwhile, did not quite have the vertical leap to match that, as she was a dog. She would have to take an alternate path.

Rin enjoyed the feeling of a light breeze playing with her fur as she ran across the cement, Yukiho keeping pace. Though she'd never admit it, Rin knew that she was secretly getting into the spirit of competition. Good luck getting that out of her, though.

Eventually they left the business side of things and headed towards the more urban settling, which is where the two of them split up. Yukiho took the safer route, as she was wont to do, by running across the sidewalk, but Rin was much more adventurous. The first house she came across had a gutter leading to the roof, which she jumped on and clambered up, touching down on the roof and heading for the edge.

The stars were shining bright, and Rin allowed herself to stare at their beauty while leaping from roof to ground to fence to roof. There was always time to look upon the world, plenty of time actually, but since starting guardian training, she had grown to appreciate how the world could really look. However, it was probably best to gaze upon the universe's lights when she wasn't at risk to crash through a window.

* * *

Going across the roofs was definitely faster. Rin made it back to Kotori's just before Yukiho, who tried to hide how disconcerted she was over losing. Honoka came lumbering in afterwards, faster than was expected considering her animal limitations.

"Nice win, Rin-chan!" Honoka smiled, affectionately nuzzling her friend and nearly knocking her over.

"Hey, I almost won," Yukiho huffed, turning away to stare down the street.

"Aww, you were great too, Yukiho-chan." Honoka patted her on the head, which only got her a scowl in response. Their race was over, and true to Yukiho's word, they were back home right after. Honoka and Rin agreed that their race was a lot of fun, but what they both really wanted was for Eli and Maki to come back.

* * *

It had started about a week after Maki stopped appearing at the table. Eli felt like she had been holding everyone's worries on her shoulders, and every time Maki refused to talk to her, the weight just got heavier. She knew that she could talk to Rin and Honoka, but she needed to be strong for them. That left her only one option, an option that she knew would be bad to take, but she gave in anyway: she talked to Nozomi.

They were at the shrine again when Eli admitted that she was worried about Maki. Nozomi knew about their secret, she reasoned with herself: she would understand. She wouldn't judge. When she got started, she found she couldn't stop, and spilled to Nozomi every little thing that was weighing down on her, even a couple tidbits that didn't have much to do with Maki at all.

Nozomi had suggested they both try talking to her, but Eli had to shoot that down. Maki would throw a fit if she knew that Eli had revealed them. So, unfortunately, they just had to do the best they could. It helped that her charge was a calming presence around the emotional discourse of others. It made Eli feel safe and secure, even though it was her job to do that for Nozomi.

A week after that found Eli laying on Nozomi's stomach, watching her rest with guilt prickling her fur. She hadn't been back up to see Rin or Honoka for several days. Admittedly, she had wanted to return with Maki in tow, but that seemed to be a pipe dream at this point, and she was too embarrassed to go back with nothing but failure. As if her mental quandaries were a physical presence, Nozomi stirred and blinked in the darkness, locking eyes with Eli's. The worry must have been evident.

"Elicchi? What's the matter?"

Eli sighed softly, glancing over towards where Nico's bedroom was, but no movement came from the small hallway. "I'm just worried about Maki, and about Rin and Honoka too. I haven't seen them in several days, and I... I don't want to return without Maki."

A hand, soft and warm, ran through her fur, drawing a purr out of her. "Elicchi, are you sure you don't want me to do something? Maybe I can help."

"I'm sorry, Nozomi, but her finding out wouldn't be good for either of us. I don't want to break anymore rules." Nozomi nodded slowly, though Eli could tell that she wasn't completely satisfied. To be honest, she wasn't either, but doing anything that may aggravate her further would do no good. She would just have to continue to find another way, as difficult as it was. The darkness of the room covered their conversation, sending them into a temporary silence.

"Elicchi..." Nozomi finally broke the silence, and when Eli looked down at her, she seemed nervous, biting gently on her bottom lip. "Can I... Do you think you can show yourself to me? I want to see you again; the real you."

"Nozomi... I can't..." But her words weren't nearly as confident as they should've been. Oh how impossible it was to deny her charge what she wanted, to deny herself the same. Nozomi was more than her charge, and she had slowly begun to realize it, but she'd desperately tried to send those thoughts out to dry. They did no good for either of them, and she'd known since the first time she'd revealed herself that this would lead to trouble.

Those eyes: how could she deny them? Her brain constantly told her no, that just because she'd broken the rules didn't mean she could continue to break them, but without even thinking about it, she found herself reverting back to her human form. When she realized what she did, she knew there would be Hell to pay, but the shine in Nozomi's eyes made her heart soar. The room seemed to be warmer than it had been mere moments ago, and the fact that she was now laying right on top of Nozomi made Eli's face glow red. Hopefully it was dark enough to cover that.

Nozomi didn't say a word, as if speaking would end the moment, shattering reality and revealing it to be an illusion. Wordlessly, they just stared into each others' eyes, barely blinking, until they began to move towards each other. Like an unspoken command made by their hearts without running anything by their brains, they were closer than they should have been, but Eli had been completely overridden by the warmth, a warmth that was transferring between them, spreading throughout her entire body. Her body, her hands, her lips: so very, very warm.

She wondered if they could stay like that forever, locked in an embrace that created a world just for the two of them to share. That wonder turned into the sudden, unfortunate knowledge that no, it couldn't be, when a certain furious redhead yanked her up by her shirt collar. Fate was cruel like that.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** So this took awhile to write. The minutiae of their day is a lot harder to write than everybody being emotionally unstable. Gotta work on that. Either way, I'm not sure if I can continue putting out chapters every other day (approximately). This one took a bit to write, and I'm not even sure where to go next. I do apologize for any more-than-necessary time between chapters. I'll do my best to get things done!


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Notes:** Oh hey, I'm writing again. I had some of this done, but was stuck on continuing. I'll probably need a bit of time to figure out where next to go, but I'll figure it out. I've gotten this far, after all.

* * *

Things had become rather quiet lately. Even though it was the last thing she wanted to do, Nico had to admit that maybe, just maybe, it was sort of just a little bit her fault. Hoping that things would be normal if they went back to normal could only work if things _did_ go back to normal, and they hadn't. Well, it did seem more like how things had been over a month prior, but that was because everyone was so damn silent. Maybe she had been too forceful.

If one could receive the cold shoulder from a cat, Nico was certainly chilled to the bone every time she stepped into her room. Maki- Princess, _Princess_ , refused to even look at her, and small bouts of guilt would hit her because of this. After all, it _was_ her fault that Princess had stormed out and was now refusing to interact with anyone. Nozomi and her cat seemed pretty down a lot too... They were cats, though! Except not really, but they should be!

 _'Ugh!'_ She slapped her cheeks lightly, not really paying attention to where she was walking. Maybe she just needed to admit that things she could not explain were happening, and accept that it was happening whether or not she chose to believe in it. It wasn't like she cared, but she hated seeing Nozomi looking so glum all the time. Her siblings were also beginning to question why Princess never came out to play anymore.

When she finally decided to start paying attention to where she was going, she was simultaneously surprised and not surprised as to where she ended up: the idol merchandise store. It had been quite awhile since she'd been there, and she wished her feet had taken her somewhere else. Having been led to school would've been preferable. Well, maybe not _that_ drastic.

She felt as if someone was watching her. It was weird, but she could definitely feel eyes on her. Tilting her head subtly left and right to try and see who it was, Nico noticed another girl standing in front of the store, staring at it with a lot more wonder than she was. However, it was clear that was what she was enraptured with, and with no one else in the area, that feeling must have just been her imagination. She wondered if perhaps all the crazy stuff that she was still trying to process was messing with her mind, but looking down by chance ended up revealing that she indeed _was_ being stared at. The question wasn't, however, who was staring, but what. Specifically, a cat.

That girl, the one staring up with amazement at the merchandise, had a bag slung over her shoulder. Inside the bag, staring at her with an expression of great interest, was an orange tabby. It meowed upon realizing that Nico was staring back. _'More cats? Am I just walking catnip?'_ The meowing caught the attention of the girl, who turned and jumped upon realizing Nico was looking at her.

"O-Oh! S-Sorry, a-am I blocking the way?" The girl seemed almost scared of Nico, especially since she wasn't even close to blocking the door.

"Uh, no, you're good." Nico groaned inwardly and turned back to the store, but there wasn't anything in there worthwhile enough for her to walk in and see it. All it would do was bring up bad memories, and she wasn't interested in reliving them in public. Glancing back at the girl, the way her eyes sparkled when looking at the merchandise, it couldn't be helped: it reminded her of herself at that age. Maybe this could be the way she let go.

When she decided on it, she turned to find the girl coaxing that cat, who was _still looking at her_ , into the bag. "C-Come on, Onigiri. They don't allow pets in, so you need to b-be quiet."

"I doubt that's going to work." The girl jerked her head up in surprise when Nico addressed her, eyeing them both with a cocked eyebrow. "That cat doesn't seem like the quiet type."

"Sh-She's not bad," she murmured, fidgeting under Nico's gaze. Nico sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Look, you don't need to spend anything. I've, uh, I've got some old merch that's just taking up space in my room. You want it?" Now there were two pairs of eyes on her, one filled with surprise, excitement, and a touch of suspicion, which was fair enough. She could take that more than the latter stare, which made her feel like a big chew toy.

"R-R-Really?"

"You'd probably appreciate it more than me." That was how she decided to move on from the past and put all of her efforts into a stable future. At least someone could get use out of it.

* * *

Her name was Hanayo. She was a first year at her school, someone she had never seen around. Obviously she was into idols, like seriously into them. It was definitely a nostalgic trip hearing all that. At least, until it came to the part where she met Kira Tsubasa.

" _The_ Kira Tsubasa?!" Nico gaped at Hanayo, at a loss for words. By random chance, by pure happenstance, she had met _the_ most popular school idol in the region. How did this girl get blessed with so much luck?

"I-It was really Onigiri who got me to t-talk to her." Hanayo pointed down at her cat, who meowed in such a self-assured way. She narrowed her eyes, examining Onigiri for a moment, but concluded that she was crazy for even thinking that every cat she came across was some angel.

"That's incredible! I really wanted to go to UTX," she sighed wistfully, unable now to keep herself from falling back into those old memories.

"Y-Yeah, I-I know what you mean." Hanayo clasped her hands together atop her bag. That would make sense. They probably both wanted to go for the same reason: to meet A-Rise. Dreams could be cruel when they weren't reality.

They made it back to Nico's house in good time, with her realizing that lately a lot more people than usual were being invited into her home. Well, two, but two was more than zero. She let Hanayo in and glanced around, but no one was in the living room. Maybe her siblings were getting overwhelmed by the amount of people always here. Again, two, but who needed to delve into the semantics of things. As soon as they got inside, Onigiri popped her head out of Hanayo's bag, seemingly intrigued by something that neither of the girls noticed. Wriggling her way out, she jumped to the ground and bounded off for Nico's room. "O-Onigiri, wait!"

"Eh, don't worry about it." Nico shrugged and made her way towards the kitchen. "Princess will probably intercept her." Another tiny pang of guilt hit her heart at the mention of her sulking cat, but she pushed it aside in order to pull out a couple glasses from the cabinet. "Want something to drink?"

* * *

Rin could tell that there was something in this house that would interest her. As soon as they entered she could feel the sensation tingling in her paws, and when Hanayo stopped moving, she jumped from her comfy confines and hightailed it for the hall. Her paws were leading her on to a room at the end of the hall. She skidded to a halt and stared up at the door, giving it an experimental push. It didn't budge. How was she going to open it?

The easiest way would be to transform and open it up, but that could lead to problems, like how she didn't truly know what was behind the door. She could only imagine the scolding Eli would give her if she got caught like that. For this task, she would have to get more creative. From a standing position, she tried to jump and grab onto the doorknob, but fell just short. Not easily deterred, she backed up, twitching her tail as she eyed her target. Rin then ran forward, leaping into the air and grabbing onto the knob. Her lower body slammed against the door like a knocker, flailing side to side as she finally popped the door open, slowly moving its way inside the room as Rin hung there like an ornament, being dragged along for the ride.

The first thing she noticed upon dropping down from the door was the wide-eyed stare of a hard-to-miss scarlet cat. There was no doubt as to who those lavender eyes belonged to. "Maki-chan!" Rin joyously ran over and tackled the surprised feline over, eyes alight with excitement upon seeing her friend for the first time in two weeks.

"R-Rin?!" Maki squirmed around until she could push Rin off, hopping back onto her paws with an embarrassed huff. "What are you doing here?"

"Kayo-chin met this girl who was standing in front of the idol store, and so she invited us back to her house to take her old idol stuff, and you're here too!" Rin swished her tail around in thought, then a big grin spread across her face. "That means she's your charge!"

Maki groaned inwardly, wondering if there was a conspiracy to get all of her friends into one place just to mess with her. "Yes, she is. Now would you try not making the fact that we know each other so obvious? Don't you think they'll get suspicious?" There was no need for anyone else to find out that their true forms had been compromised. A slight scowl crossed her demeanor as she thought about what Eli had done, but Rin didn't notice.

"So you've been staying here all this time then?" Rin frowned suddenly, stepping closer to Maki. "How come you don't come back and see us anymore? We miss you!"

"Uh, well..." Maki gulped, feeling somewhat guilty about keeping Rin and Honoka in the dark about what was going on. Not that she had ever planned on letting them know what had happened, but she _had_ been ignoring them, rather unfairly at that. She really needed to come back more often, or at all. "It's just been... busy here. You know, Nico's siblings and all. I don't want to rouse any suspicion." _'Too late.'_

Rin seemed like she wanted to question it further, but to Maki's surprise, she ended up dropping it. "Well, you should come back when you can, Maki-chan! We really do miss you up there." Maki smiled despite herself. There was a secret warmth in being wanted.

"I'll come up tonight, Rin. I promise."

"Yay Maki-chan!" Then Rin tackled her again, and Maki quickly regretted this promise.

* * *

Hanayo stood on Nico's doorstep, her bag - and arms - weighed down with so much idol merch, Onigiri was forced to walk alongside her. "A-Are you sure I can just have these, Nico-senpai?" It was a lot of stuff, and she felt bad about just taking it. After all, some of this must have cost a lot of money. There were some rare items in here that she had never believed she'd see in person.

"Yeah, don't worry about it." Nico dismissed Hanayo's concerns with a wave of her hand. "I wasn't doing anything with it, and I could use the space. Consider it a gift."

"Th-Thank you, Nico-senpai!"

"Just don't expect anything for Christmas." Nico grinned and tussled Hanayo's hair. "Now, are _you_ sure you don't need any help carrying all of that?"

"Y-Yes. I don't want to inconvenience you any further, Nico-senpai." A couple items at the top of the small pile in her arms wobbled, and Nico hurriedly grabbed them before they toppled to the ground below. "A-Ah!"

"Uh huh." Nico narrowed her eyes before grabbing a few more items to make the pile more manageable. "How about this? You take all that, and you can come by some other time and take the rest."

"Th-That would be great. I can't thank you enough." Hanayo was pleasantly surprised that Nico was not only allowing her to have all of this merch, but to come over again. She was being _invited_ to someone's house. This was a miracle of an occurrence.

"Don't worry about it, really. Now get going before it gets dark, alright?" Hanayo nodded and, unable to wave with her hands presently occupied, nodded again before heading out, Onigiri in tow. She had a direct invitation to go to someone's house. Someone actually wanted to be around her. First Kotori, and now Nico. She couldn't help but smile all the way back home.


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Notes:** So I originally planned on writing something for Eli's birthday (which was yesterday, but close enough), but that ended up going into a very disturbing place, so that will more than likely never see the light of day. This will have to do. Happy birthday, Eli!

* * *

Being back up with her friends felt awkward after going over two weeks without any contact, especially considering the reason why she had been closed off from them. They were eager to bring her back into the fold, and she tried to be involved in what they were talking about, but she felt herself becoming more and more withdrawn as the night wore on, and she didn't stay as long as everyone was used to. It had been a week since then, and she hadn't felt up to returning, falling right back into spending most of her time curled up in the corner of Nico's room. Were things ever going to get better?

Well, not if she continued to loiter around the hospital most nights, staring dully at the door that might not even open. Those weeks of pain had faded into a dull ache throbbing silently in her heart. The hurt and anger still resided there, but the sharp edge had been dulled over time. Still, she continued to sit in the shadows, watching for something she never wanted to see, wishing for something she would never receive. A light breeze teased her crimson tresses as she stared unblinking at the door. Common sense and logic meant nothing to something as fragile as the heart.

Ten minutes passed, much longer than she usually allowed herself to stay, but nothing disturbed the quiet night. Only the vibrant red glow of the hospital sign gave any indication that there was life in the area. It just wasn't going to show itself. Maki swallowed down her disappointment as she shifted back into her feline form. Fairly or not, she hated the man who had replaced her in her parents' lives, but seeing him was the only way she could still feel connected to the life she had been forced to leave behind. It was a conundrum that she loathed but couldn't tear herself away from diving into. Tonight wasn't the night, though, and so she reluctantly turned away and went back home.

Returning to Nico's room, she decided that falling into the unconsciousness of sleep would be nice, if only she had any actual use for it. Her charge was lucky in that regard. Falling into the little space the corner provided her, a loud cough caught her attention. Whipping her head up, she looked directly at where the sound came from and was surprised to find that Nico was already done with her shower. Usually that took up to an hour, allowing her a bit of leisure time, but apparently tonight was a very unfortunate exception. She was glaring right at Maki with her arms crossed, displeasure etched all over her face.

"Where in the world have you been?" Nico's voice was a whisper due to how late it was, but the suspicion and irritation was evident in her tone and body language. "I come out to find my stubborn cat _gone_ , and I've been waiting here for..." She glanced at her alarm, then started to try and figure out how much time had actually passed. "Uh... eight minutes! Eight minutes I've been waiting! Do you know how worried I was?"

Maki frowned, suddenly feeling very defensive. It was none of her business where she went. Nico wasn't even supposed to know that she was a guardian in the first place! Silently cursing Eli for putting her in this situation, she tried to ignore the fact that it was her not being there that was bothering her charge. No, it was definitely Eli's fault. "It's none of your business where I go. You're not the boss of me." Out of all the people to find her gone, why did it have to be Nico?

"If I was, you'd be so fired." Nico grumbled and tightened her stance, rolling her eyes in annoyance. "And would you just turn human or whatever? I'm not talking to a cat. It's weird." Maki considered just ignoring her, since she was not in the mood to deal with this right now. Considering how they had to live in the same house, however, this could only go on for so long before it became ridiculous and untenable. She didn't want to, but there wasn't much she could do about it. Besides, she felt slightly - only slightly - bad for being difficult, since it wasn't really Nico's fault. The scarlet-furred cat turned into a scarlet-haired girl, the two of them locking eyes and staring each other down.

"This isn't going to happen, Nico. I'm not telling you anything, so just go to bed." She may have agreed to converse in her regular form, but she didn't agree to say anything. That was all she was going to get.

"Oh no! You not even acknowledging my existence? _That's_ what's not gonna happen."

"I thought you didn't _need_ me. Why do you care what I do?" Nico sighed in exasperation. That was a good point, unfortunately. Those may have been words that she said in Maki's presence, but she knew now that she had to come to terms with what was going on, and that meant she needed to apologize. _'Ugh, maybe I should've stayed in bed.'_

"I'm sorry, okay? I shouldn't have said that. It's just a lot to deal with, but I didn't need to be so rude to you." It didn't seem like Maki was very convinced. That annoyed, narrow-eyed stare still was trying to drill holes through her skull. "What do you want from me, a cake? I just want to know what's going on."

"Ugh, just forget it." Maki turned around and refused to look at Nico, instead deciding to stare at the wall. This was tiring and frustrating: she didn't want to deal with her right now. Too many conflicting emotions were spinning around her brain like a hurricane, enough to where she thought she might burst. Suddenly a hand landed on her shoulder, and she was forced to turn back around by a clearly-aggrieved Nico. It seemed like she was just as done with Maki as she was with her.

"You... You're some kind of guardian angel, and you're living in my house, _and_ you're sneaking out to go who knows where. How am I supposed to forget that?" Maki didn't answer, crossing her arms and staying silent. She hated being put on the spot like this. "Augh! Just stop being stubborn and tell me what's going on!"

"I'm not being stubborn!" This night was getting worse and worse. There seemed to be no escape from a curious Nico, though that wasn't going to stop her from trying. No way was she going to tell her anything. "What I do is none of your business, okay? Just drop it."

"I thought we were supposed to be partners."

"We're not even supposed to be talking!" Maki couldn't keep her voice from rising, wanting to just shake some sense into this idiot of a charge she was being punished with. All she wanted was for things to go back to the way they were, and no one was allowing it to happen. She didn't want to talk about it, especially not to Nico. What happened to respecting someone's privacy? "Leave me alone."

"No." Nico folded her arms and remained where she was, ruby eyes shining with determination.

"Now who's being stubborn?"

"Still you." Nico was refusing to move, and Maki could feel herself getting increasingly more stressed out. Without really thinking about it, she suddenly darted out of the corner and for the door. "Hey!" Ignoring Nico and her own niggling shame at running away from her problems, she flung open the door and ran into the hall. There was nothing solved by running away, but she couldn't do this: she had to get away from Nico's constant persistence. The only problem was that someone was standing in her way, a very confused and a very blonde someone.

"Eli..." Maki stopped in her tracks and took a step backwards, but looking over her shoulder, she could see Nico had followed her out and now both of them were blocking her way. _'Great. Just great.'_

"Maki, where are you going?" There was concern in Eli's eyes, but Maki didn't want her concern. She didn't want Nico's questions. She just wanted them to leave her alone.

"Nowhere," she muttered, but she wasn't sure if either of them heard her. They seemed to get closer, and she was willing to do anything to get out of this situation, even something embarrassing enough that she would have never considered it otherwise. Still, she had already done two things tonight that her mind had let her know weren't normal or intelligent choices, so what harm could a third one do? With her heart racing, she did her best to imitate Nico's voice and shouted into the dark and silent house: "Mama!"

* * *

It was like someone dropping a pin, if that pin just happened to be an explosive. Both Nico's and Eli's eyes shot wide open at what Maki had done, but when both of them focused back on where they had been looking just a moment ago, she was gone. The soft but obvious sound of footsteps reached the hallway, and both girls stared at each other in undisguised fear. "Go!" Nico mouthed to Eli, not wanting anyone to find some strange blonde woman standing around in their home. That was one question she could not answer without being sent to the loony bin. Eli nodded once before disappearing, and even though it happened right in front of her, Nico was left staring in disbelief. That feeling only lasted a moment, replaced by monumental dread at seeing her mother standing right there, clearly tired and clearly annoyed at being woken up.

"Nico, what are you doing screaming like that? It's so late."

"Ahh, uhh... Ahh..." _'Damn that Maki!'_ What the hell had she done that for? Now Nico looked like a complete idiot, forced to make up some excuse for someone else's actions. But what? What?! "I'm sorry, mama, uh, Nozomi's cat... startled me."

"Are you okay, honey? Did it scratch you?"

"Ah, n-no. I'm okay. I didn't mean to wake you." _'And I'm not even the one who did!'_

"It's okay, just... make sure it's an emergency next time, okay dear?"

"Yes mama." Nico bowed her head, thanking every deity above that she hadn't gotten in big trouble. When her mother went back to bed, Nico stomped to her room, a quick search determining that Maki was indeed nowhere to be found. She was going to send that damn cat to a shelter.

* * *

Eli breathed a deep sigh of relief upon escaping from whatever terrible situation would have arisen should she have been caught there. There may have been a better solution if she had more time to think on it, but what was another broken rule between housemates? Turning around, she found herself face to face with Rin, who had an insatiably curious look in her eyes. She ran a hand down her face, sighing in utter defeat. She was the worst guardian in the entire corps. "Eli-chan, whatcha doing over here? You seem tense."

"Ahaha, you think...?" Whenever she needed someone to be unaware of the mood, they never failed to notice that something was off. This must be her curse. Maybe it was time to stop hiding what had happened. Things were getting way out of control, and with Maki acting more closed off than usual, the risk of someone less trustworthy than their charges finding out what was going on became realer by the day. Rin was not exactly her first choice for attempted stability, but they were friends, and she really didn't want to hide anything from her. Well, here went nothing... "Well, it's... it's a long story, Rin. Can we go sit down?"

* * *

"You?! You revealed yourself to your charge?!" Rin was flabbergasted, mouth open and eyes wide at this impossible of a revelation. Across from her, Eli groaned with shame, tugging nervously on her shirtsleeve. At least she didn't seem angry like Maki had been, but it didn't make retelling the story any less embarrassing. She didn't really enjoy letting her friends know of her horrible failure as a guardian.

"It wasn't on purpose!" There wasn't a need to be defensive about it. She'd messed up, she knew that, and she needed to accept her friends' reactions to it, no matter what they were.

"That's so not fair!" Crossing her arms, Rin pouted at Eli. "I don't want to hide from Kayo-chin either!" Okay, maybe that reaction wasn't one to accept right off hand.

"Wait, Rin, no. Do not do that. I made a horrible mistake, but that doesn't mean you get to as well. It's bad enough Maki was revealed as well."

"Maki-chan too?!" ' _Oh dammit.'_

"Again, it wasn't on purpose. She just, err, caught me like this with my charge, and then her own charge popped out, and it... ugh, it was a nightmare." There was definitely no need to go into detail about exactly _what_ Maki had caught her doing with Nozomi. Those were merely superfluous notes.

"Is that why Maki-chan hasn't been back lately?"

"No, I... I don't know why. It wasn't because of that, though! That just... may have... made it worse." Eli sighed and rested her head against her hands, closing her eyes in the hope that opening them would make all of this not have happened. "I don't know what to do, Rin. I've only made things worse, and now Maki's gone and I don't know where she could be."

She heard the movement of a chair as Rin stood up and came to stand next to her, patting her firmly on the shoulder. "Don't be sad, Eli-chan! We just have to do some detective work. I can help!"

"Really?" Eli looked up to see Rin nod enthusiastically, smiling brightly at the prospect of figuring out their Maki mystery.

"Mhm! But I get to name the operation."

"What?"

"Operation Tomato Surprise is a go!" She could only grimace at how Maki would react to such a name. At least she had someone to help her figure out whatever was going on, though. Maybe then they could finally bring some stability back to their dysfunctional household. "We should get Honoka-chan in on this!"

"Can we not?"

* * *

 **Author's Notes (2):** I can only imagine how an Eli/Rin teamup will go. Maki will probably love the name, though. Will they discover anything, though? Or will Maki continue to put up that wall for chapters to come? Next time: Detectives Eli and Rin are on the case, and a Halloween special!


	15. Chapter 15

A chilling wind blew across Eli's skin as she waited behind the school, but she shrugged off the sensation. Arms crossed, she waited in her human form for her contact to show up. While doing this was admittedly very dangerous, both her and Rin agreed that this was the best place to start. Sudden movement caused her eyes to flicker upwards, landing upon the distinct figure of one Yazawa Nico making her way over. The danger would have been less present if they had just spoken in Nico's house, but they needed to be somewhere where prying ears wouldn't overhear.

"Eli," Nico mumbled curtly, wrapping her arms around her small frame to try and weather the late fall chill. This hadn't been something she wanted to do; not in the slightest. However, with her coming around to believing that there really were two angels just chilling out in her house - and really, believing otherwise was just temporary delusion - she knew that for Eli to ask for her help, in human form no less, meant it was serious. Serious enough to call her by her actual name.

"I'll make this quick." It was quite clear that it was too windy to hold a long, formal meeting out behind the school, so extracting as much information as she could in a small amount of time would have to do. Hopefully Nico would be cooperative. "I'm sure you've noticed that lately Maki has been acting strangely."

"That's not how she always acts?" Nico smirked slightly, rubbing her hands against her sides. "Could've fooled me."

Eli narrowed her eyes slightly, but chose to ignore that. There was only so much time for this to work. Any extraneous minutes wasted were minutes that might lead to her getting seen by less desirable parties, that being anyone who wasn't Nico or Nozomi. "We don't have time for the jokes. I know that you've noticed. Now Maki's gone and I need to know if you have any idea where she might have went off to."

"I don't know, Eli. I thought she was supposed to be watching over me, not the other way around." She had indeed noticed that Maki was gone. Waking up in the morning and not seeing her pouting pet huddled in the corner was a new sight, and clearly Eli had noticed too. After the events of last night, they both knew that things had taken a drastic turn. Where Maki could have gone though, neither of them knew.

"She's been with you over a month now. Was there anywhere you two went where she may have acted differently? More upbeat, perhaps?"

Nico tapped her chin in thought, though she quickly dropped her hand in order to try and keep warm. "Well, she's never really happy... She acted a bit odd when I got hurt though." She shrugged, all out of ideas at that point. Not that there had been many to begin with.

"When did you get hurt?"

"A few weeks ago. I sprained my ankle, nothing major. She just seemed a little bit worried when we got to the hospital. She was probably just making sure I was okay." Nico gulped as the words left her mouth. Okay, so maybe Maki _had_ cared, at least a little bit. She did not like the guilt that was laying disapprovingly on her mind.

"The hospital?"

"Yeah, the Nishikino Hospital. You _do_ know what a hospital is, right?" But Eli wasn't listening anymore. She paled considerably, making Nico worry somewhat. "Uh, Earth to Eli? Or, wait... Heaven to Eli? What? What is it?"

"I need to go. Thanks for the information." The words spilled hurriedly from Eli's mouth and, with a small wave, she vanished into thin air, leaving Nico standing alone.

"Why do both of you do that?! It's weird!"

* * *

If she had a hundred yen for every time she reminded herself that what she was doing was unhealthy and dangerous... well, she'd have a lot of useless money. All day she had been pumping herself up to enter the hospital, but for hours she had slunk back miserably, having to constantly pick herself back up in order to try and move forward. There was no going back now: she was going to see her parents, no matter the risk.

Her breathing was nervous and off-sync, watching the doors as people made their way in and out. Against every rule she had sworn to uphold, she stood hidden in the nearby alleyway, her human form shaking with apprehension. There had been no plan, no forethought, even after hours of pacing back and forth, nearly shouting at herself about whether or not to go inside. The thought didn't really cross her mind that she might just get noticed, with that very noticeable red hair giving her away. Her mind was too preoccupied with her unstable desires.

"So this is where you've been." So preoccupied that she hadn't even noticed someone else standing there. Whipping around in fright, her eyes grew wide as she saw Eli standing there with her arms crossed, one eyebrow raised as if demanding an explanation.

"Wh-What are you doing here, Eli?"

"Isn't that what I should be asking?" Maki grumbled at the response, her cheeks a faint pink as she matched Eli's crossed arms and faced the wall, not wanting to look at her friend. She didn't want to see any disappointment in those eyes. If she had just been more resolute earlier, this wouldn't be happening.

"Th-That's none of your business." Looking at anything but Eli, of course, meant that she was caught off guard when the blonde was suddenly standing right in front of her, looking down with eyes of ice. She gulped and took a step back, but it felt like there was nowhere for her to go.

"None of my business? Maki, you abandoned your charge!" Keeping her voice level was tough, but Eli managed to avoid filling the alley with her shouting, though the intent was made very clear. "We've all been worried sick about you for weeks, and then you just up and leave! Nico almost got into a lot of trouble over that little stunt you pulled last night."

Unfortunately, Eli got just a tad zealous in her scolding. It didn't bring the desired effect, as Maki started turning red, but not out of embarrassment. "How... How can you talk to me about breaking the rules?! All of this is your fault!" She was struggling to form sentences that didn't involve lots of angry hissing, but she tried her best. "If you weren't so... ugh, _attached_ to your charge, none of this would have happened!"

"I know, okay? I messed up. I put all of us in danger." Eli took a deep breath in order to calm down, hoping that a change of tone would bring Maki back down. "And I'm sorry about all of that, but my mistake doesn't mean we can all just do what we want. I know I need to set a better example, but-"

"I don't understand you!" Maybe it hadn't worked like she hoped. "You say that, but I bet you're going to go right back home and act like Nozomi is your best friend. She isn't! Was everything you told me, every rule you taught me, meaningless the moment you met some high schooler you can spend all day drooling over?"

That got a reaction. Eli's eye twitched as she glared at the sizzling redhead, tension sweeping over the alley. "Th-That is not true! I care for my charge. I don't think of her like that!" Well, sort of.

"Uh huh, sure." Maki clearly didn't believe her, rolling her eyes as a hand went up to twirl her crimson locks around a finger.

"You know what? This doesn't matter. We're both going to get into trouble if we don't calm down, okay? This isn't helping anyone, certainly not our charges. They need us." Appealing to reason was her last option. Frustration was starting to claw its way into her words, and she needed to get both of them out of public and away from any potential prying eyes.

Luckily, that seemed to dissipate the largest and loudest storm clouds that hovered around them, but the way those amethysts dulled upon their arguing ending, Eli could've sworn there was still a low rumbling in her ears. Something was off. "Yeah, right." Maki's voice was completely subdued, a complete one-eighty from just a few seconds ago. The tension seemed to leave her body as she stared down at the ground. "I'm sure she's wondering where you went." Before Eli could question what she was talking about, Maki turned back into a feline and vanished, leaving Eli in the same position that she had left Nico in mere minutes ago.

She could only stare at the space where Maki had been in utter confusion, shaking her head to try and clear it. This was supposed to be the part where they both went back together, and things would be all cleared up. Now it was, if possible, more confusing than ever. What in the world happened? Glancing at the big, red letters that spelled out 'Nishikino', she groaned internally at having their conversation devolve before she could bring it up. Kicking at the ground in frustration, she had little choice but to head back to Nico's. She would have to meet up with Rin soon and explain what happened. Operation Tomato Surprise had hit a bit of a snag.

* * *

"Isn't doing this a bit... I dunno, risky?" Nico's voice cut through the silence like the great knife of reason. The low hoot of an owl accentuated the fact that it was completely dark outside, the moon shining brightly overhead. Another gust of wind rolled over the group, though luckily it wasn't as cold as it had been lately.

"Yeah..." Eli muttered without much conviction, looking helplessly next to her, but all she got in return was a reassuring and playful grin. It made her legs shake slightly, and it took most of her willpower to not crumble to the ground in a useless heap. That earned her a tired sigh from Nico, whom she gave a weak shrug in return. It was risky, but she felt powerless to resist.

It was Nozomi who had suggested they go to Otonokizaka's Halloween party. Of course it was. Since coming to live with her, Nico had noticed that her 'now officially a friend' friend had been significantly more cheerful. She could do without the occasional trickery, but it was still nice to see her smiling more often. Despite that, this was one idea that did not have much room for error. Going to a party was one thing, but bringing their guardians along? That was a recipe for disaster.

"Don't be so pessimistic, Nicocchi." Nozomi smiled that smile, that one that left one almost powerless to resist her eager ideas. Well, at least it left Eli powerless. Nico just found herself dragged along, determined to grumble about it and roll her eyes the entire way there. Did they have to make their ceaseless flaunting of their apparently important rules _this_ obvious?

"Maki, you're with me, right? This is a bad idea." She glanced over at her guardian, but she remained gravely quiet, as she had been for the entire walk. After all that worry - from Eli, because she was not worried, no sir no ma'am - Maki had returned without a word the day after. Days had passed and the topic of what had happened never came up, but there was clear tension whenever the two guardians were in the same room. At the very least, however, she seemed to be somewhat more comfortable around Nico again, even allowing her charge to pet her like normal.

"... We're already here. Nothing we can do now." Maki finally spoke, disinterested as usual about the whole process. There was something in her voice that seemed off, though. Nico could tell there was something bothering the redhead, even if it was such a slight differential in her vocals. She just didn't know what exactly it was, or if she was really hearing things right. There was no use in trying to see a crack in her armor through her facial expressions either: the mask covered those pretty well.

Oh, the mask. Well, it _was_ a Halloween party, so the four of them had decided to go in costume. Maki's choice was the better of the two at disguising her identity: she had chosen to go as a plague doctor, her face completely obscured behind a bird's beak-like mask, while the rest of her body was draped in a brown, ankle-length overcoat. It wasn't very flattering, but saying that had only gotten Nico a withering glare, so she didn't bring it up again. As for herself, she had decided to go as a kind of demon businesswoman: nice, black suit and tie, topped off with a pair of blood-red horns situated atop her head. Nozomi claimed that she looked like a kid trying on her father's suit. Unfortunately, her own glare did nothing but draw further laughter from her friend.

"Three against one, Nicocchi. Looks like it's a good idea after all." Nico just rolled her eyes and ignored Nozomi, who had chosen to just go in her normal shrine maiden outfit. Both girls had chipped in some money so that their guardians didn't try to go and steal a costume, which left only so much left for themselves. For a bit of difference from her daily routine, she had chosen to bring an Azusa Yumi, which was admittedly better than bringing her broom. Eli, meanwhile, wanted to go as a knight, though due to their particular budget restraints, she agreed to make do with a lightweight chainmail, a helmet for appropriate facial non-recognition, and a fake sword, which is what she seemed to have the most problems with.

"This sword couldn't cut the softest bread," she murmured, watching with disapproval through the helmet's visor as her sword bent and gave way under the slightest breeze. A real knight wouldn't be caught dead with such an embarrassing weapon.

"Well, yeah... It's not real." If Nico continued to roll her eyes like this, they might just fall out of her skull. "It almost sounds like you have a problem with what we spent our hard-earned money to buy you."

"A-Ah, that's not it at all!" Even beneath a visor, Eli's embarrassment was obvious. "I didn't mean to be ungrateful! It's fine, really!" That got a giggle out of Nozomi, who leaned in and planted a soft, quick kiss on the side of Eli's helmet.

"Don't be so mean, Nicocchi. I know Elicchi appreciates it." If it was possible, Nico would've sworn that steam was pouring out of the helmet, and poor Eli could do nothing but nod and nearly trip over her own feet. With an exaggerated, dramatic sigh, Nico picked up the pace so she wouldn't have to see that anymore. She was surprised to find Maki keeping pace with her both of them moving ahead of Eli and Nozomi.

"So, a plague doctor, huh?"

"Yeah." Looked like conversations with Maki were going to be as difficult as ever. At least it was better than dealing with the two lovebirds back there.

"Well, I'm feeling a bit under the weather. Think you can cure me?" Maki turned her head towards Nico and looked her up and down, though she couldn't tell what expression the redhead held beneath that mask.

"Sorry, it's terminal." Well, maybe they didn't need to talk anyway.

* * *

The party was already in full swing by the time they arrived, a few people still roaming the halls while they made their way to the gymnasium. It had been transformed into a nighttime shindig, with colored lights sweeping over the otherwise darkened floors. Refreshments were on a set of tables on the other side of the gym, a small stage having been set up where the bleachers were to blare spooky dance music everywhere. It was loud, it was packed: it was a party.

As soon as they got inside, Nico stuck out her tongue at Nozomi before striding purposely across the gym, Maki following her without a word. That left Nozomi and Eli alone, so they decided to head for the refreshments. Once they reached it, Nozomi started to pour two glasses of punch for them, but Eli's attention was diverted by the sight of someone chowing down on what appeared to be pigs in a blanket. They were dressed as as angel, with two pure-white wings strapped to their back and a wire attached as well, leading up to a halo above their head. It wasn't a bad costume, not at all. That goofy grin, though. Those chartreuse eyes. That head of orange hair- _'Dammit, Rin!'_

Rin was feeling very content. Sure, they had no need to eat, but this food was delicious! Hopefully no one else wanted to eat any of these. When a hand landed on her shoulder though, she thought maybe someone did. She was definitely prepared to stop, no worries at all, but she almost jumped out of her skin when she came face to face with a faceless person. Oh, they had a helmet on. That helmet had a visor, and the person in question lifted it up, glaring down at Rin with the iciest eyes she had ever seen. She definitely recognized those eyes. Halloween sure held some scary stuff.

"Rin..." Eli was doing her best to keep calm, to not bring attention to the situation at hand. "What... are you doing...?"

"Eliiii-chaaaan," Rin mewled softly, giving her the best smile she could muster. It didn't seem to work. "I was, uh... guarding?"

"... Guarding? Guarding what?"

"The... The food! For, uh, for Kayo-chin! She, uh, sh-she needs to eat, and-" That glare could scorch the earth. Rin was worried it might melt her where she stood. "N-Nya?"

"I told you, didn't I?" The hands on Rin's shoulders were tightening their grip, and she could only pray for the safety of her poor body. "I told you that we needed to refrain from revealing ourselves, despite what happened?"

"Y-Yeah, b-but..." Rin then noticed something. She thought on it for a moment, then realized it was true. "Wait, you're here though!"

"..."

"What are _you_ doing here, Eli-chan?"

"... I asked you first." This was going to be a long night.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Eli tries her best, but whoops. Early Halloween chapter, and the next chapter or two will be continuing from this one, so Halloween will continue! Though probably into November, because whoops. This chapter I would definitely like to hear what you all think about it, because I'm not sure how confident I feel about it... more so than usual, anyway. If there's a general consensus that something is off, then I am definitely willing to go back to the drawing board and rework this chapter. There doesn't even have to be a consensus on what it is, just "Something doesn't seem right, man." I don't want to get too far gone into a chapter story and have it stop being cohesive, so don't let me get complacent or anything. Anyway, it's four days early, but have a fun Halloween!


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Notes:** Happy (early) Halloween, everyone! I said that last chapter, but this one got out later, so this is the official early Halloween wishes. Not much to say though (at least up here), so let's answer a question or two!

Makironiandcheese - Eli doesn't know really know, but she does know Maki's full name, so hearing 'Nishikino' was a big-enough clue to send her looking.

Guest (the first one) - I love me a good 'The Office' reference.

Rena Bodewig - Well, maybe not the best of friends. Nozomi would likely consider Nico more of a friend than the other way around, but in her own begrudging way, Nico does consider Nozomi a friend. That happens when you have to live with someone for awhile (well, that or you kill them).

Guest (the second one) - It would seem that Rin and Honoka just happen to have better self-control than Eli and Maki. Eli tries so hard, poor thing.

* * *

Kotori was nervous. It was a bad habit of hers where, when under a great deal of stress, she would chew on anything she could get her hands on. Today's poor victim was a pen cap, which bent between her teeth as she fretted and worried over having to choose between something she wanted and not making a complete fool of herself.

Otonokizaka's annual Halloween party was fast approaching, and she wanted to go. Well, it wasn't that she wanted to go exactly, as much as she wanted to go with a certain someone. That was where all the stressing came from: how was she going to properly ask Umi to go with her?

They were friends now, so it should be easy enough, but were they good enough friends to go together to a party? Did Umi even like parties? She had never thought to ask, but it would've been good information to know at present. If she did, she probably had plenty of people lining up to ask her. Umi was very popular in that regard, so there'd be no shortage of potential party partners. Sighing deeply, Kotori let her head fall against her desk, the pen cap falling from her mouth and onto the floor below. This was way more complicated than it had to be.

Pan waltzed on over at the first sign of distress, laying her head upon Kotori's lap and looking up at her with those big blue eyes. Kotori couldn't help but smile at such a cute expression, lifting her head off of the desk and placing her forehead against Pan's. "Oh Pan, I wish I was as popular as Umi-chan." If she was that popular, then it would be no big deal to ask Umi to go with her, and it'd make sense for her to say yes. At this point though, she didn't even understand how someone like Umi could want to be friends with someone like her.

Her melancholy mood didn't seem to sit well with Pan, who scurried out from under the desk, only to leap onto Kotori's lap, nearly toppling her over. "W-Woah! Pan!" In response, Pan just barked and licked her owner, causing her to giggle and hug the canine close. "Maybe I just need to get a second opinion." Perhaps her worrying was just paranoia with a hint of self-esteem issues. Hearing what another person had to say could give her a better grip on what to do, but who to ask?

* * *

"M-My opinion?" Hanayo held the phone close to her ear, positive that she had misheard Kotori. When the request was repeated, however, it was clear that she had _not_ misheard: Kotori, one of the only people she could speak to without turning into a stuttering mess, was asking _her_ for her opinion on whether or not to ask Umi to the Halloween party. That was like asking a criminal where the best place was to hide a safe.

"W-Well, I'm not that great at speaking to people, you know..." Might as well state the obvious.

"Hanayo-chaaaan, you're the only person I can ask about this!" Even through the phone, Hanayo could imagine the expression on Kotori's face, like an injured bird you couldn't help but rush to rescue. She had to try to help.

"Why can't you just ask her the next time you two see each other?"

"She's so popular though, Hanayo-chan! Why would she want to go with someone as boring as me? I don't even know if she wants to go."

"Then wouldn't asking her help you find out?"

"Well, yeah, but..." The line went silent as Kotori seemed to try and put into words how she was feeling. Hanayo waited patiently until she was ready to continue. "What if she says no?"

"Wouldn't it be better to know than to not know?"

"... I don't want her to say no."

"She's your friend, right? I don't think she'd say no, Kotori-chan. It's not like you're asking her out on a date or something." It suddenly got very silent. "U-Unless you are. A-Asking her on a date, I mean. A... Are you?" Silence.

"N-Not important." Kotori seemed to have contracted Hanayo's stuttering, and the shock of the whole situation ended up making her laugh on accident. "D-Don't laugh at me, Hanayo-chan!"

"I-I'm sorry! Just..." She thought on what to say for a moment. "No matter what you want, you should go for it, you know? And if you want, I can come with you. I-if you want me to, I mean."

"Really? Thank you, Hanayo-chan! I'll ask her tomorrow!" They didn't chat for long after that, but Hanayo could tell that her friend's spirits were appropriately lifted, which made her smile. Hopefully things would go well.

* * *

If anything, Kotori was more nervous now than she had been when originally considering this idea. Now that she was standing in the archery clubroom, with other people around no less, this idea seemed less appealing by the second. If it wasn't for Hanayo squeezing her hand, she may well have just bolted from the room immediately. "D-Don't be nervous, Kotori-chan. I'm sure she'll want to go." Kotori smiled, but it was definitely forced. How many things could go wrong? Umi could say no, or laugh at her, or her hubris could anger the Gods and the ceiling would come crashing down on top of them. Maybe that last one was stretching things a bit.

Taking a deep breath, Kotori made her way over towards Umi, standing a respectable distance away until the other girl was done firing off arrow after arrow, not wanting to break her concentration. Finally, Umi put the bow down and turned towards Kotori, a gentle smile on her face. "Good afternoon, Kotori. How are you doing today?"

"F-Fine," she stammered, quickly starting to lose her nerve. She just had to say it before she backed off. It couldn't be that difficult. "Will you, uh, will you party with me?"

Umi tilted her head slightly, a small frown replacing her smile. "What do you mean?" _'Oh God, what did I just say?'_ Several key words were missing from that sentence, and Kotori felt her face grow hot with embarrassment. It _could_ be that difficult.

"Th-The Halloween party! H-here, at the school. I-I was... w-wondering if you were going." There they were.

"Oh! Well, I'm not sure. Are you going?"

"I-I was planning on it, yes."

Umi's smile returned at those words. "Then perhaps you would be alright with me accompanying you?" Was Umi asking to go with her? Wait, no, _she_ was supposed to ask, and she had nearly died of nervousness over it. Now it was that easy, just like that? It was almost like she'd wasted lots of time worrying or something. Putting her efforts into not collapsing in relief, Kotori smiled and nodded before realizing that she should probably say yes.

"Y-Yes! Th-that would be great." As she fully realized what was happening, her smile grew wider as she had to keep herself from shouting out triumphantly. When she finally left the school with Hanayo, the poor girl was forced to pick up the pace in order to keep up with her happy, skipping friend.

"K-Kotori-chan, wait up!"

* * *

The night before Halloween. Not a holiday, alas. Honoka and Rin were excitedly talking about the next night, having been clued in by listening to their charges speak about it. "It sounds like so much fun! Too bad we can't go." Honoka pouted, crossing her arms at the unfortunate fact.

"No fair!" Rin agreed and mimicked Honoka's pouting stance, but brightened considerably when a thought came to mind. "Wait! Why don't we go anyway?"

"Because the school doesn't allow pets."

"Okay, but they allow human. Humans wearing costumes." Honoka's eyes widened at the revelation, a big grin forming on her face.

"Costumes that mask your identity!" The two of them jumped up and high-fived each other, though they then glanced all around, hoping that Eli or Maki didn't suddenly pop up and get wind of their plan. They both could be stick-in-the-muds when it came to having fun. "We need to get costumes!" That night was spent giggling and bouncing around excitedly about getting to go to a party, and they could barely stay still around their charges the next day.

* * *

"Rin-chan, about your costume..." Honoka smiled slightly, looking over her friend who had chosen a very... well, considering what exactly they were, it wasn't much of a 'costume' really. Wings and a halo were kind of part of the deal. "You're already an angel, you know?"

"Aww Honoka-chan, that's so sweet of you to say!" Rin grinned cheekily, and even Honoka had to smack her own face at that one. Clad in a white gown with the aforementioned wings and halo, Rin looked exactly like the mortal perception of an angel, which really wasn't far off enough to justify such a 'costume'. Honoka, on the other hand, went in a different direction.

"What are you supposed to be anyway, Honoka-chan?"

"A punk rocker! Like from England, ya know?" Well, that explained the Union Jack spread proudly across her torso. Ripped blue jeans and a spiked choker completed that part of the arsenal, though Honoka had also gotten an inflatable guitar and was wielding it more like a sword. On top of that, she had successfully styled her hair into spikes, mohawk-style. They had promised to return everything they were wearing once the party was over from the stores they 'borrowed' from, though the hair gel may not be in the best condition.

The 'security' wasn't all that impressive, and just saying they were students got them in, where they raced each other down the halls to the gym, nearly knocking over no less than three real students in the process. The layout was impressive, and they both stared in awe at the cool lights beaming down from the ceiling. Honoka quickly ran off to check out where the music was coming from, while Rin made her way to the food.

They didn't actually have any reason to eat - not like it'd help, anyway - but she liked the smell of mortal cuisine. The first smell that peaked her interest was what looked like sausages wrapped up in bread. She thought about getting Honoka over here for that, but after tasting one, she decided that she'd save one for her, promise. She then proceeded to gobble up more than was absolutely necessary.

When she felt hands on her shoulder, she thought that someone wanted her to stop hogging all the grub. Alas, it was not: it was Eli. This was going to make the night a lot more interesting. At least for some people.

* * *

It was a good thing that there was a somewhat chilling wind blowing in. Otherwise Kotori wouldn't have an excuse for why she was shaking. 'Embarrassment' wouldn't begin to describe how she would feel if she had to admit that having Umi being her escort to the party was liable to make her legs turn into jelly. Luckily there was the wind. It was cold, that's all it was. Had she ever been _this_ much of a mess before?

Tugging nervously on her dress, a dress specifically of the princess variety, she gazed over at Umi, who had decided to go as the old English folklore character Robin Hood. She was particularly impressed by the fact that Umi could carry that huge bow without any trouble. There must be a lot of strength in those arms. She determinedly stared straight ahead, trying to will away the red from her cheeks. It was just cold, right?

"Kotori, are you cold?" Forced to turn right back around, Kotori noticed the concern in Umi's eyes. _'Stay calm. Stay calm.'_

"Y-Yeah, just a little."

"I should have brought a jacket for you. My deepest apologies." _'Abort! Abort!'_

"N-No n-need to apologize! We'll be inside soon, right? And it'll be warm in there." That logic seemed to placate Umi, and Kotori breathed a quiet sigh of relief as they reached the front doors of the school. They had invited Hanayo to come with them, but she had decided to arrive later, stating - privately - that she didn't want to intrude on Kotori's 'date'. It took nearly twenty minutes before her face had stopped glowing red and she could be presentable for Umi to see.

Walking inside, Umi waved at a couple of students from the archery club as she and Kotori walked at a more relaxed pace to the gym. Things felt a lot calmer now, and Kotori had stopped shaking once in the familiar setting of their school. This would be just like a normal day of school... if everybody was wearing costumes, that is. Close enough, though. The two exchanged smiles as they entered the gym and joined the party.

* * *

 **Author's Notes (2):** Kotori, God, you're worse than Eli. Get ya head in the game. Swim with confidence, little bird. Alright, so next chapter will conclude our little Halloween segment. Of course, that one will end up coming out in early November, so be prepared for the "late Halloween" greetings from yours truly. All nine of them are now at the party (well, Hanayo will get there, promise!), but will any of them meet each other? What kind of conversations will they have? Will any of them survive? Maybe, awkward/brilliant ones, and yes. They all will more than likely survive. Except Rin. Eli might send her straight back to Heaven.


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's Notes:** This top part of the author's notes has become more of a Q&A section. I do not mind this.

Makironiandcheese - Actually, yes. Hopefully next chapter will shed some more light on our favorite redhead. I imagine they'll all meet at some point. Destiny and all that. I'm not sure when they would, though. Not next chapter, at least. As for knowing that she's a Nishikino, I'm not sure if for many of them it would be impactful. Just not knowing the family itself and all. For any who it might mean something, they're likely to figure it out. Hope that isn't too revealing or evasive!

* * *

There was this strange, foreign feeling wrestling for control within Kotori's heart. It had started when someone in their year, a girl in a devil costume, came up and started talking to Umi. Kotori had previously excused herself to get drinks for herself and Umi, and now, standing a short distance away and watching the two of them talk, she could sense that feeling growing and snarling viciously.

That costume was certainly appropriate on the girl, that was for sure. What was this ugly feeling, though? Was it... jealousy? No, that couldn't be it. What could there possibly be to be jealous of? Umi was her friend, and they both could have other friends. As many as they wanted, in fact. Sure, she wished that Umi was talking to her rather than that other girl, but that didn't mean she was jealous. Maybe it would be nice if said girl would just step off and walk away- Okay, so maybe she was a bit jealous.

This was a terrible feeling to have. She quickly felt guilty over such thoughts, but couldn't expel them from her head. Eventually she realized that she couldn't just stand in one place and let these feelings completely overtake her. Or, rather, she couldn't let that demon continue to monopolize the conversation. Putting on her best smile, she sidled back up to the two girls and handed Umi her drink, which was taken with a nod of thanks. Ever so subtly, she got as close to Umi as she could without them touching, giving the sweetest smile she could muster to the other girl.

Said girl raised an eyebrow at the subtle display, a small frown on her face. Quickly, however, it was replaced with a casual smile, and she bid farewell to Umi before slinking off, giving Kotori an odd sense of satisfaction. It probably wasn't healthy, but she wasn't feeling regretful. Umi hadn't seemed to notice either, which was a big relief.

"Ah, Kotori." She turned to look up at Umi, whose eyes were instead on Kotori's drink. "Are you alright? Your drink is about to spill out." Little did she realize that her hand had begun shaking, and quickly she quieted its display so as not to drain all of her punch on the floor. However, Umi had noticed, clearly, and there wasn't a built-in excuse anymore.

"Y-Yes, I'm perfectly fine." Keeping up with her most calming smile, she brought the cup up to her lips and took a large gulp to try and calm down. She couldn't taste it at all. Umi seemed unsure, but wasn't willing to probe any further, as the conversation was put on temporary leave. It was a perfect time to gather her thoughts and come back strong into the conversation, but her mind was simultaneously confused and blank. Luckily, she was saved from her personal awkwardness due to a rather enthusiastic distraction.

"Are you all ready to rock?!" The sudden shout from the stage housing the speakers drew both of their attentions, eyes locking upon the sight of a student dressed as a punk rocker standing on the stage. Holding what looked like an inflatable guitar, she flashed the crowd a huge grin before pretending to strum the guitar, creating the appropriate sounds with her mouth. Kotori stared flabbergasted, while Umi just shook her head in disbelief.

"Maybe we should alert someone in authority," Umi murmured, looking towards Kotori for confirmation.

"Ah... She doesn't seem to be doing any harm." Kotori smiled, but she was certainly feeling some kind of secondhand embarrassment. "It could be part of some act?" Neither of them recognized the girl, but she looked like she could be in their year. Maybe they just didn't have any classes with her.

"She _is_ an act, alright." Umi turned from the stage, taking another sip of her drink. Despite the ruckus going on at center stage, Kotori couldn't help but find her attentions drawn back towards Umi. She was great. Like, really great.

* * *

Eli was at a loss to describe how troublesome this night was becoming, but ever-so reluctantly she had put aside her ire over tonight's events in order to join together with Rin. There was still detective work to do. Walking around with Rin, she was starting to feel stupid with this knight's helm on, until finally she took it off with a small gasp. It was getting way too warm for her liking.

"Rin, do you even know where Maki is?" They had spent the past five minutes wandering the gym without any sight of their resident plague doctor. Eli was starting to wonder if maybe she had just left the area altogether. Where would she have gone, though? Hopefully not back to the hospital.

"No, but we'll find her!" There was so much confidence in Rin's voice, Eli could almost believe that they _would_ find Maki. Almost. However, their search was interrupted by a new arrival, who immediately capture Rin's attention. "Eli! Look, it's Kayochin! She made it!"

So that was Rin's charge, then. She gave off a bit of a timid, mousy appearance, slipping past the door and into the corner almost like magic. No one even seemed to notice she was there. "She seems very nice, Rin, but we really need to find Maki."

"I want to go say hi!"

"Rin, no, absolutely-" She was gone. Seeing her already halfway across the gym, Eli slammed her head against the helmet and hurried to catch up before anything worse happened.

By the time she reached the corner of the gym, Rin was being overly affectionate as usual, which was definitely freaking out her charge. Sighing with no small degree of annoyance, Eli grabbed Rin and yanked her away from a very confused and flustered Hanayo. "I apologize for my friend." Eli bowed slightly. "She can be quite rambunctious if you take your eyes off of her."

"I-It's okay." She tried to smile, but Eli could tell that the poor girl was still very caught off-guard. Not that she could blame her. Before she could drag Rin away for a proper scolding, however, Rin opened her mouth again.

"Hey, have you seen someone dressed as a plague doctor? All brown, creepy-looking beak mask." Eli was surprised that Rin was actually getting back on track, even asking very pertinent questions. She was still unamused, but this helped a little.

Hanayo thought on it for a moment, then snapped her fingers in realization. "O-Oh, I-I saw someone like that. I passed by them when I was coming inside. Th-There was a girl in a pink dress with them too, i-if that helps." It did. Eli and Rin looked at each other, both knowing exactly who those two were.

"If she's with her, then it should be okay, right?" Rin mused aloud, keeping things vague so as not to tip Hanayo off. As far as she was concerned, these were just two students looking for their friend. Nothing to be suspicious about at all.

"Yes, but I think we should go and get her-" That distraction being lucky for Kotori, however, was not as fortunate for others, as Eli and Rin would find out the moment that sound forced their eyes to center stage.

"Are you ready to rock?!" It was undeniable just who was yelling that to a very confused and amused crowd of high schoolers. Eli felt an aneurysm coming on, apoplectic at what Honoka was doing up there. So much for staying low key, or not coming here at all.

"Ho-no- _ka!_ " Eli hissed through her teeth, their task completely dissolved from her mind as she started to storm towards the stage. She had quite enough of all this risky behavior from everyone. If she was their leader, then by God she was going to lay down the law.

Rin, meanwhile, realized right away that Honoka was going to be in a lot of trouble if Eli got her hands on her. Gulping, she shrugged sheepishly and waved to Hanayo before jogging after Eli. "Eli, wait, wait!" Rin grabbed her by the shoulder, but was shrugged off, so she kept moving forward. "We shouldn't cause a scene, right?"

"I'll show her a scene." This was not going to end well for anyone involved. They'd finally broken Eli. Glancing desperately around, a crazy plan formed in Rin's mind. The only plan that might just work without pretending to be a magician: there didn't seem to be an appropriate equipment around for that. Instead, what she had was someone who had dressed up as some kind of sheep herder. That would have to do.

Running ahead of Eli, she ignored the blonde's surprised cry as she swiped a herding cane - with appropriate sickle-shaped head - out of the other girl's hand, apologizing as she hurried towards the stage. Rushing onto it, she ran straight past Honoka, who turned to her in a very confused manner. Suddenly, Rin stuck out the herder's cane and gently got it around Honoka's neck, who yelped in surprise and stepped towards Rin. The students laughed as Rin gently but forcefully hurried Honoka off the stage. "Exit, stage left!"

"Rin-chan, what are you doing?" Honoka gasped as her hand was grabbed and she was quickly being ushered away from the stage and into a particularly dense portion of students.

"Saving you from the wrath of Eli-chan!" Once they were appropriately hidden, she lowered her voice so that Honoka had to strain to hear. "Honoka-chan, what were you doing? Eli-chan is furious!"

"I just wanted to have some fun!" Honoka pouted, crossing her arms. "We're down here and aren't allowed to do anything! No one knows who I am, so I don't see the harm- Wait, Eli-chan is here?" Oh boy. Rin gulped, knowing that what she would have to reveal would no doubt infuriate Eli further, but what choice did she have?

"Ahh, I can explain..."

* * *

As soon as Nico turned her back for one solitary second, Maki was already trying to sneak off. Sighing as loud and dramatically as she could manage, she caught up and grabbed Maki's hand, forcing her to stop. "Okay, one second. That's all it took for you to try and leave. What is your deal?"

"I don't have a 'deal'. Let go of my hand." Maki sounded irritated... or embarrassed? Nico couldn't tell because of that stupid mask she was wearing. It was going to give her nightmares.

"Not if you're going to bolt at a moment's notice. And can you take off the mask? It's seriously freaking me out."

"No, and I'm not going anywhere. You don't have to babysit me. I'm not a child."

"You certainly act like one." Nico scoffed and tightened her grip on Maki's hand. "The moment I let go, you're going to leave, and then I'm going to get in trouble. How do you expect me to get them to put a picture of a ghost on milk cartons?"

"Sh-Shut up! I am _not_ a ghost!" Okay, _now_ Nico could tell exactly what emotion Maki was giving off. "Ugh, if you're going to hold my hand like a five-year-old, can we at least go outside? I don't want everyone thinking I'm some kind of teen mom."

"What is that supposed to mean?!"

"It means you're short." With a hard tug, Maki yanked Nico forward, forcing her to either follow or let go. Out of sheer principles, and maybe a bit of stubbornness, she chose the former. Scowling at that remark - a 'low blow', if you will - the two of them exited the party and then the building, meeting less and less people until they stood alone outside the school. Maki led Nico off to the side, making sure the school hid their existence before finally agreeing to remove the mask.

"You're going to miss the party if you keep shadowing me the entire night."

"Eh, whatever. I don't care about that."

"You're so stubborn."

"I'm not taking that from you." The two of them glared at each other before breaking eye contact, staring pointedly in opposite directions. "I don't want to hold your hand the entire night, you know."

"Then don't." Nico could feel Maki's eyes upon her, and when she turned back around she stared right into a pair of very irritated amethysts. She couldn't help but notice, however, that there was a faint dash of crimson on the redhead's cheeks.

"We already discussed this. If I let go, you're going to disappear off to who knows where. Are you ever going to tell me where you go?"

"That's none of your business."

"Uh, you live under my roof, so yes, it _is_ my business."

"I don't exactly have a choice, you know." Maki huffed in annoyance, finally wrenching her hand from Nico's and crossing her arms tightly. Nico, in turn, massaged her temples, feeling a very large headache coming on. Wasn't _she_ the one that needed the guardian and not the other way around?

"Okay then, why don't you just leave? You don't have to watch over me."

"What did I just say? You're my charge: of course I have to watch over you."

"I could just ask the Gods for a replacement. Like, 'Uh, hey, the guardian you gave me is defective. She's more childish than my little brother'- Ow, hey!" Nico rubbed her shoulder where Maki had hit her. "You can't hurt your charge!"

"That didn't hurt," Maki retorted dryly, pushing herself up onto her feet with Nico quickly copying her actions.

"You don't get to decide that! And just where do you think you're going?" Her automatic reaction was to grab Maki's hand again. Wherever that troublesome redhead was going, she was going to follow.

"I-I'm just going back to the party!" Maki's face went red as she tried to wrestle herself from Nico's grip. "Let go!"

"If you're just going back inside, then there should be no problem." Nico smiled way too sweetly, turning the tables on her guardian by now dragging her back the way they came. "Unless you don't want to hold the great Nico Nico Nii's hand."

"I don't! Unhand me, dammit!" She did no such thing. Nico could only sigh as they returned to the party. How did she get stuck with such a stubborn and troublesome guardian?

* * *

Nozomi couldn't help but grin watching the amusing display on stage. She didn't recognize the student on stage with her air guitar playing, nor the other one who came up and yanked her away, but it was hilarious all the same. In fact, this was turning out to be a great night. The food was delicious, she was here with friends - actual friends! - and a couple of people even came over to ask about her shrine outfit. It was different, and it was comforting.

Speaking of her friends, though... They all seemed to have vanished. Eli had gotten engrossed in a conversation with an orange-haired girl, then departed. In fact, it was the same girl who had pulled her fellow ginger from the stage. Fancy that... From what she knew about her guardian, it wasn't like Eli to start up a conversation with some random girl from the school. She didn't want to delve too deeply into conspiracies, but aw, what the hell?

Before, Eli had implied that there were more guardians with her than just Maki. Perhaps that other girl was one too? It was actually very likely, all considering. This was definitely something to bring up with Eli when they returned home. In the meantime, however, she noticed Nico and Maki making their way into her view, so she rushed over to intercept them.

"Nicocchi, Maki. Enjoying the party?"

"Some of us are trying to." Nico pointedly looked at Maki, but with that stupid creepy mask on, there was no way to tell what emotions were playing out across her face. No words were offered in response, which almost gave the impression that Nico was dragging a statute along with her.

"Well, do you want to get something to eat? It's really good!"

"I don't need to eat." Finally Maki spoke, though it was in a gruff way, slightly taking Nozomi aback.

"Wow, rude." Nico rolled her eyes and tried to pull Maki towards the food tables. "Maybe you don't, but I do. Quit being such a baby."

"It's alright, Nicocchi." Nozomi smiled at the two of them, placing a hand on their shoulders. It was quite clear there was still some lingering tension between the two, and despite Eli's insistence on doing things by herself, she wanted to try and help the best she could. "You don't need to drag Maki everywhere." Maybe some distance would calm everyone down. She and Nico could get a bite to eat, then they all could go look for Eli. With that in mind, she turned her attention to Maki. "Would it be okay if I borrow Nicocchi for a moment?"

There was silence for nearly half a minute, making Nozomi start to wonder if something was wrong. Nico could feel it too, about to say something before feeling herself being shoved forward. Nozomi let out a small sound of surprise as Nico was pushed into her arms, both of them now staring at Maki in confusion. "Go ahead. Have her. You've already got Eli. Take whoever you want."

"Maki, what-" Nico had barely gotten the words out before Maki whirled around and walked away, leaving the two of them standing there in utter bewilderment. It wasn't until the redhead had already left their view that Nico remembered that it was pretty important to not let her leave their view. _'Dammit.'_

"Did I... say something wrong?" Nozomi had no clue what had just happened. She didn't even know whether to feel guilty or not. Was Maki mad at her?

"I don't think so?" Nico was just as confused. She knew that Maki was mad at her, but at Nozomi too? If only Maki wasn't so damn stubborn, then maybe she'd understand that gigantic chip resting on her shoulder. "I'll switch guardians with you."

"Stay away from my Elicchi."

" _Ugh_."

* * *

 **Author's Notes (2):** Poor Eli. I'm torturing her way too much. Our peerless leader is just being run ragged. Don't you worry, though: chapter 18, ol' Nozomi will heal you up good. As for Maki, she's been tortured too much as well. I torture the ones I love, I'm sorry. I'll see what I can do. Hopefully Honoka and Rin keep low to avoid the wrath of the angry Elichika. Stay safe, you two! Alright, next time! Eli gets some much needed R&R with Nozomi, while Nico is on the hunt for information about that stubborn redhead she calls a guardian.


	18. Chapter 18

_Eli was familiar with seeing newcomers lost amongst the grandeur. Everyone acclimated at their own pace, but it could be a lot more difficult for those who were younger, and this particular girl seemed pretty young. If she had to guess, she figured the girl was about fifteen, with anxiety clear in her eyes despite the guarded stance she held. She liked to try and help people like this get used to their new surroundings, so she decided to introduce herself._

 _It wouldn't be that easy, but it was to be expected. Seeing all these new faces would overwhelm most people, so she wasn't surprised when the girl, alerted to her presence, backed away, hugging herself to keep from shaking. "It's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you. My name's Eli. What's yours?"_

 _"Wh-Where's Mama?" The girl's voice shook with fright, backing up further from Eli. She must be brand new, which was the one part that she wasn't all that good at. While she could comfort them well enough, it was a lot easier when they were already aware of what had happened._

 _"She's... She's where you last saw her." That was a decidedly vague answer, but hopefully it would do. "Do you know where you are?"_

 _"N-No... It's really bright." She wondered when it would dawn on the girl, or if she needed to help coax things along. It was up to the individual whether or not they truly accepted it, but she would hate to walk away and let her wander around alone and scared. Suddenly, it seemed as if realization hit her, her eyes widening as she took another wild look around their surroundings. "I-I..."_

 _"It's okay." Eli smiled warmly and took a couple steps forward, trying to seem as gentle and non-menacing as possible. "You're safe now. I can show you around if you want."_

 _"N-No!" She jumped back in fear, digging her nails into her skin. The action seemed to surprise her further, and as she looked down at her arms, Eli knew that she was figuring out there was no pain. It was a strange sensation. "N-No, no, no no no! I'm not dead! I'm not dead! Mama!" Turning on her heels, she ran off in a random direction, further into a place she had no knowledge of._

 _It would have been easiest to walk away then, to hope that someone else would find her and explain things better. That just wasn't Eli's style though: it only made her more determined to help. She began to head in the same direction, running after the young, scared girl with the red curls._

* * *

It had taken a lot of effort, but Maki had kept herself away from returning to the hospital, as badly as she had wanted to go. Instead she ended up back in her feline form and on Nico's bed, enjoying the chance to sulk by herself for awhile. Nico was such a pain, and Nozomi had no concept of subtlety, and Eli was so nosy and dense, and Nico's siblings were... Well, they threw things at her sometimes. Now she was just complaining to complain. With a soft sigh, she slowly moved her tail across the bedspread and tried to focus on only the most important things to complain about.

Maybe she was being just a little bit overdramatic, but they didn't understand. They couldn't, really, but why did Nico have to be so insistent on knowing, and so annoying too? She was _not_ a child: she did not need to have her hand held in public, dammit. Or in private, for that matter. Things would be so much easier if Eli wasn't so easily moved by someone else's emotions. They wouldn't be in this situation if it hadn't been for that. They could do their work like normal guardians instead of utterly embarrassing themselves at every turn. Eli was so dense...

Her brooding was rudely interrupted when the door burst open and in came Nico, ruby eyes running wild around the room in search of something; more than likely her. When they finally did fall upon the bed to find a familiar scarlet cat laying calmly upon it, she stalked over with tense and shaking hands. The sight made Maki a bit nervously, but she didn't end up moving, to her unfortunate detriment. A yowl was drawn out of her when her tail was so rudely grabbed and pulled on, yanking her up into the air so she could stare into a pair of very annoyed eyes. It might have been intimidating if it was anyone else, and if she wasn't being held up like a customer inspecting a product they wanted to buy.

"Do you have any idea how worried I was?" Maki hissed in annoyance, not willing to believe anything Nico was saying. All she got for her troubles was a release of her tail, which made her fall ungracefully back onto the bed. "Just because you're super pissy all the time doesn't allow you to go disappearing whenever things don't go your way."

"That is not what happened!" She seriously doubted that anyone was so annoying, so easily able to get under her skin as Nico. It was some kind of skill, though not one she really appreciated.

"You're such a child!"

"I am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Oh my god, are we really doing this?" Nico groaned and sat on the bed, narrowing her eyes at Maki. "Are you really claiming not to be a child while doing the 'am not' argument?" Maki refused to respond, staring at the wall instead. "You're impossible! You won't tell me anything!"

"It's none of your-"

"Yeah yeah yeah, none of my business. I've heard that already." She moved around on the bed until Maki was forced to make eye contact with her. It wasn't a comfortable position, but it would do for now. "That really gets old, you know. I just want to know what's going on without being forced to wonder all the time."

"Weren't you the one who said you didn't _need_ a guardian, or did you just forget?" Nico had never heard a cat sound so bitter. Then again, she hadn't ever heard a cat talk either. This was getting way too weird again.

"Okay, if you're going to get all bitter on me, the least you can do is turn human again. You have no idea how weird this is."

"Fine!" One final hiss and she was thankfully face to face with human Maki again, though she could've done without the withering glare she was receiving. If looks could kill...

"Look, just... _ugh._ " This was one gigantic headache. Why did Maki have to be so damn stubborn? "What's your deal with Nozomi? I know you're always so pissy with me, but what did she do?"

"All she does is make Eli jeopardize our secrecy," Maki hissed angrily, finding it difficult to keep her voice down. "Eli is her _guardian_ , not her friend."

"So what? It's too late to keep your identities from us now, considering how bad you were at hiding it." She kept going before Maki could protest. "No one else is finding out. Isn't it supposed to help us oh-so-lowly mortals if you're nice to us?"

"No, it only leads to complications."

"Oh please, they don't seem to be 'complicated'. Don't get me wrong, I'm gagging and all at the sight, but they seem perfectly happy."

"It only lasts so long! We're not here forever." Was it just blissful ignorance that kept them from realizing this? Was Maki the only sane one remaining?

"You're so overdramatic, you know."

"I'm being realistic. You're just being stupid." Both of them crossed their arms and glared at each other in the dark, neither one refusing to back down now.

"You're just being a big baby. Eli and Nozomi didn't do anything to you, besides make things just a little bit more difficult. Is it that big of a deal?"

"Yes! That's what I've been trying to tell you!" It was like arguing with a brick wall. Nico was hard-headed as ever, and there seemed to be no getting through to her. Coincidentally enough, this was exactly how Nico was feeling about Maki.

"Get a grip, jeez. You're acting worse about this than I did."

"I'm acting perfectly reasonable. We could get in huge trouble for this."

"You're making it sound like them talking to each other is a capital offense. They're just friends, Maki."

"Eli's supposed to be _my_ friend! She's _my_ friend!" The room became deathly silent, with Nico's eyes widening at Maki's words. Maki's mouth hung open in shock, and quickly she slapped her hand over her mouth, but the damage had been done.

"I... I didn't take you to be the possessive type." Nico didn't know what else to say. This would explain a lot, though the situation had become a lot more precarious than it had been mere moments ago. She could see Maki's hands shaking through the black, and quickly she reached out and grabbed them, figuring that this would be the point where her guardian would attempt to flee.

"L-Let me go!" Maki's voice shook, and she successfully yanked her hands away, only to be propelled by her backward momentum off the bed. With a shriek that Nico prayed had been unheard by anyone in her family, Maki fell off the bed and onto the floor, bent in an awkward position with her legs splayed out in separate directions.

"You, uh... You okay there?" Nico couldn't help but laugh despite the situation at hand. She was sure that, if she could see Maki's face, she would be receiving the most withering glare possible. Good thing she was up here, then.

"Never speak of this again."

"I'll only agree to that if you tell me why you're so possessive of Eli." Maki's legs vanished from view before she popped back up, crawling onto the bed with a very unhappy expression. Of course, Nico couldn't escape that glare forever, now could she?

"She's... she's just my friend, okay?" Maki mumbled quietly, twirling a lock of her hair with a finger. "She's _supposed_ to be _my_ friend."

"You know people can have more than one friend, right?"

"I know that!" For someone who could seem so menacing, Maki's pout was extremely childish; very cute too. "But she risked us being found out just because Nozomi was sad. She spends all her time with her charge and only talks to me when she wants to be nosy."

"Aren't you guys supposed to be with your charges all the time?"

"Sh-Shut up! I know..."

"And from what I've seen, you've been deliberately ignoring her for weeks." Maki didn't have a response to that. She always seemed so closed off, and even with her surprisingly opening up ever-so slightly, Nico couldn't help but needle her. It was true, though: it wasn't like she was lying or something. "If you want her to talk to you, just tell her. You make things a lot more complicated then they have to be."

"N-No way!"

"Then I'll do it for you."

"Don't you dare!" Maki grabbed Nico's shoulder and held her in place, a hint of pleading swimming within her violet gaze. "I-I'm not ready..." Nico shook her head and chuckled quietly, reaching behind Maki's head to scratch her left ear, as if she were still a cat. It seemed to have a similar result, though.

"Jeez, you're so stubborn."

"Sh-Shut up, Nico."

* * *

"Am I just a bad leader? I'm doing the best that I can."

"You're doing just fine, Elicchi."

"Honoka is so dead."

"Yes Elicchi." The party had not gone very well. It wasn't as if Eli had the moral ground, considering that she was at the party in the first place, but dammit, she was supposed to be their leader. Luckily Nozomi had recovered from her shock over the events with Nico and Maki in time to see Eli searching for a certain ginger-haired rapscallion, and had pulled her over to the refreshments before she popped a blood vessel. Soon enough they were outside the school, having bid Nico farewell as the twintailed girl had gone home in search of Maki. The two remained by themselves, leaning against the wall.

Eli had slowly but surely calmed down, but now instead of being angry she was upset, which if anything was worse. Nozomi hated to see Eli like this, but there was no way she was going anywhere. She wasn't quick to forget how Eli had comforted her in her time of distress, so it was her turn to do the same. With no one around to see them, she held the blonde tightly in her arms, soothingly murmuring positives to counter Eli's unfocused ramblings.

It hadn't taken much coaxing to find out that not only the punk rocker named Honoka was a guardian as well, but the other orange-haired girl, Rin, was also one. Of course, she hadn't even tried to ask, since Eli started things by muttering angrily about those two troublemakers. Nozomi thought the whole thing had been amusing, but this probably wasn't the best time to mention that.

"Maybe you should let them reveal themselves to their charges too, Elicchi. Not allowing them to is only going to leave them restless."

"I don't want them to make the same mistakes I did, though." Eli sighed and leaned in closer to Nozomi, appreciating her comforting warmth. "If they get in trouble, it's all my fault."

"Does that mean you're taking responsibility for Honoka-chan's impromptu concert?"

"She's in so much trouble, I swear..." Nozomi giggled and lightly kissed Eli's forehead, causing a blush to former on the latter's cheeks. "Nozomi, we shouldn't do this here. Someone may see us."

"Do you want to leave, then?"

"... No." It was too nice here. Nozomi's arms were too soft to leave, caring yet strong. She was supposed to be the guardian here, but all she wanted to do was close her eyes and lose all of her troubles in Nozomi's sweet embrace. Breaking away for even a moment would leave her cold.

"Then a few minutes won't hurt, now will it?" Eli didn't bother responding, letting her eyes close as she let herself get lost. It felt good: it was impossible to deny. If she wasn't careful, too much time would pass and she would still be there, letting herself be comforted by Nozomi. This was not quite how the guardian-charge relationship was supposed to go, but she was too deep in it now. To Hell with the consequences.

"Don't be too harsh on yourself, Elicchi. I'm sure they still all look up to you."

"Really?" Eli gazed into Nozomi's eyes, searching for the truth in those words. Nozomi could swear that gaze made her legs shake.

"Of course! You're their leader, after all." That seemed to pacify her, and they took a couple minutes to just enjoy each other's company, not needing to say anything more. At least for a little bit. "Are you going to forgive Honoka-chan, Elicchi?"

"Once she's been appropriately punished." Poor Honoka.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** And now we learn a bit about Maki's past. I truly did mean to reveal her death scenario, like I told Makironiandcheese, and I actually have it written down in its completion. Just as I was about to post it, however, I realized that maybe this wasn't the chapter where it made the most sense. It was supposed to, but as the chapter was getting written, it just seemed less fitting. So I ended up writing a new one, which I hope is an acceptable replacement for now. I hope to expand on that little snippet in future chapters, and there will definitely be a chapter where the death scenario fits the best. Believe it. Anyway, I hope that's alright, and remember: you can only have one friend. That's it. Meanwhile, Nozomi helps soothe the savage Eli. Get a room, you two. What would Umi think of such shameless displays?


	19. Chapter 19

Nico found herself unable to sleep. Something was bothering her, something that hadn't left her mind ever since her argument with Maki. Rolling over, she found herself looking at the reason her brain refused to grant her peace. Maki, in feline form, was curled up next to her pillow, the faintest of breaths letting Nico know that she was asleep. It was strange how peaceful she looked while asleep, even as a cat, as opposed to being awake. All the haughtiness and stubbornness vanished in the throes of slumber.

Shifting around again, she found herself staring at the ceiling, letting out a soft sigh. It hadn't been something she'd noticed while they were arguing. In all honesty, it had just been a passing comment, and she hadn't put any thought into it. Now that silence had settled upon her room, however, that one line was brought back up in full force. She wasn't ignorant about it, especially not anymore.

Someday, she would have her life in order, and then Maki would be gone. What should have been relief instead left an uncomfortable feeling in her stomach. It wasn't like she was going to give up trying to live a happy, fulfilling life, but how long did they have left? How long would it be until that now-familiar shade of red was no longer in her life?

* * *

Hanayo stared wistfully up at the giant screen, glowing brilliantly down upon the small crowd that had come to watch. Three idols danced for the crowd, their energy and coordination perfectly in sync as they moved across the screen. Most people enjoyed it, but Hanayo was mesmerized by the sight. She looked up to the group known as A-Rise, both figuratively and, at present, literally. If she was even half as talented as they were, that was what she would want to do. Ahh, if only.

As the performance faded to black, she cast her eyes around the crowd, who were overall beginning to disperse. It was in that moment that she noticed a familiar face, one who was still staring up at the darkened screen. She watched as small hands tugged gently on raven hair, forming it into twintails before letting their hair fall back to its natural state. They then turned around to leave, and so that's how Hanayo found herself making eye contact with Nico.

Nico waved at her, and she reciprocated with a much more tentative version. Knowing how rude it would be to scamper off like a frightened deer, she just stood there awkwardly instead until her senior made her way over and raised an eyebrow. "Do you come here every morning?"

"N-Not every morning." Hanayo fidgeted where she stood, trying to pull herself out of the nervous depths she consistently found herself in. She tried to think of something better to say, but the only thing that came to mind was, "D-Do you?"

"E-Eh? No, not at all! I mean, I... wait, no, I don't. No." That wasn't the reaction she was expecting. The question really seemed to put Nico on the spot. She was curious about what was wrong, but she doubted they were anywhere near the level of friendship that would allow her to ask that uninvited.

"S-Sorry," she mumbled quietly, almost too quiet to hear.

"Ahh, don't apologize." They stood there silently for a little bit, before Nico seemed to remember something. "We should probably get to school."

"A-Ah! Y-Yes!"

* * *

Luckily, they made it in time. They had to split up once inside, and so Hanayo made her way alone to her classroom. Class was harder to concentrate on than usual, however. It wasn't just thinking about A-Rise and going to UTX, but of Nico as well. Even if she was, to some degree, friends with her, and with Kotori too, she still didn't feel like it was a major deal for either of them. They probably had plenty of friends at the school. For her, though? Not quite.

She wished that their project with the second years wasn't finished, if only so that there was an excuse to be around Kotori. Now she didn't feel nearly confident enough to ask to do such a thing like hanging out, even if there was that one time Kotori had called asking for advice. She didn't know if it had even been helpful, but she hoped it had been. Not like she had any experience in such a thing anyway.

Hanayo was thankful when the bell rang, signaling the end of the day. It had all gone by in a bit of a blur, her mind unable to keep focused on any one thing. Glancing at her notebook before putting it away, she hoped that her notes weren't as jumbled a mess as her mind had been. When she exited the school, she only made it to the gate before she was surprised by Kotori, who popped up with a big smile on her face.

"K-Kotori-chan?"

"Hanayo-chan!" Hanayo was further surprised, and flustered, when Kotori gave her a hug, though she quickly let go in slight embarrassment after seemingly realizing what she was doing. "Ehehe, sorry. Did you see what we got on that project though?"

"Ah…" Had they gotten that back? She hadn't even noticed. Maybe they had. "N-No, sorry." As soon as she was finished speaking, Kotori whipped out a piece of paper and held it out for Hanayo to see. Her eyes scanned the page, then up to the big red number at the top of the sheet. "A-Ah!" Perfect marks. They had gotten perfect marks. She looked up again to find Kotori beaming down.

"I want to treat you, Hanayo-chan."

"T-Treat me?"

"To food! I know you really like rice." Alas, her one true weakness. How could she resist?

"Y-You don't-" She tried to put up a modicum of resistance, but the allure of the sweet, sweet sensation of some steamed rice was too powerful.

"I want to, though." Kotori had a very sweet smile. Hanayo had sometimes felt that sometimes Kotori's smiles were more of a natural reaction than how she was really feeling, but she wasn't sure about it, and she certainly wasn't about to ask.

"Good afternoon, Kotori." They both were alerted to a new presence, and Hanayo found a pair of deep amber eyes looking over the two of them. The ribbon she wore indicated that she was a second year, and it was then that she fully recognized that long, midnight-blue hair: Umi. They had worked on their project one time while she was practicing her archery, which she was now remembering very clearly. It was also hard to miss the change in atmosphere once Kotori noticed her, considering how she brightened up like a fluorescent bulb.

"Umi-chan!" Hanayo watched the two of them talk, not wanting to get in the way. The subtle differences in moods she thought she saw in Kotori was at its most obvious whenever she was conversing with Umi. It was cute in its own way. "I was going to treat Hanayo-chan to some rice after how well we did on our project!"

"Do you want to come with us, Sonoda-senpai?" Wait, did she say that? Kotori and Umi were looking at her, so it was very possible. She hadn't even meant to say it: it had just happened. Her mind had reasoned that Kotori would be very happy wherever Umi was, and then this happened. Was that too forward? She timidly checked their reactions: Kotori's cheeks had a deep increase of red, but Umi was actually smiling. It was slight, but that was good, right? Was that good?

"I would love to." Hanayo breathed a sigh of relief, though she had to subtly nudge Kotori in order to bring her back to the present. Then the three of them left the school grounds.

* * *

"Nozomi, do you really need to do this?" Nico didn't bother to hide her boredom, tapping her foot impatiently as she watched Nozomi stare through a plate-glass window separating them from a particular card shop. Of course, she'd been guilty herself of window shopping from time to time, but no one needed to know that. Besides, she was anxious to get home. She was forced to trust that Maki wouldn't run off again, but worry still easily entered her mind. She would feel better when she saw that scarlet furball with her own eyes. Just to make sure she was alright, of course: nothing more.

"No need to be impatient, Nicocchi." Nozomi moved away from the glass, smiling down at Nico. She had an idea of why Nico was so impatient to get back home, but she had chosen to be respectfully silent. They all were worried, really. Eli was there, though, and she trusted her to keep things under control. "See? I'm done now."

"Yeah yeah. Alright, let's go then-"

"Ooh, but this looks interesting too."

"Nozomi!"

"Ehehe, kidding, Nicocchi." Nico scowled and stomped off, not even caring if Nozomi was following anymore. She'd just have to catch up. Now that the two of them had been living together for awhile now, she had started to get used to it. That was bound to happen, but it still struck her as odd that it felt so normal. Her family had taken a shine to Nozomi as well, though she could do without her telling Cocoro that by next year she'd be taller than Nico. That was probably _not_ going to happen.

Their 'pets' as well had been accepted easily into the family. Eli was the more patient of the two, but her siblings seemed to have a special affinity for Maki, much to her never-ending annoyance. It was still funny though. No one was suspicious either, which made things a lot easier.

"I'm sure she'll be there, Nicocchi." She knew exactly who Nozomi was talking about, and though she nodded in silent agreement, she couldn't help but worry. While she knew of one particular thing that was bothering Maki, it felt like there was a host of other things hidden beneath the surface, and no matter how far she dug, she couldn't reach them. At least if Maki spoke to Eli about the one thing she knew was bothering her, then that would be of some help. Hopefully...

As they continued to walk down the street, Nico let her eyes wander across the various establishments, taking quick glimpses through the store windows. Nodding absently at Nozomi's comment about how it looked like it was going to rain, they passed another store, then a restaurant, then a-

Nico stopped in her tracks, suddenly enough to where Nozomi bumped into her, nearly causing her to fall over. "What's up, Nicocchi?" Rather than answering, she backtracked to the restaurant window, peering in for confirmation. Yup, that was without a doubt Hanayo. Small world, huh? She wondered if Hanayo would notice if she just kept staring. "Nicocchi?" Nico jabbed a finger at the glass, and Nozomi peered in as well, trying to find where Nico was pointing. At that point, both Hanayo and a girl with ashen hair turned to look back, followed by another girl with midnight-blue hair. Okay, so she did notice, and so did everyone else.

* * *

"Wow, it really is coming down." Umi gazed out the window with a small frown, watching the rain pouring down onto the ground below. It had been a surprise to find two of their upperclassmen watching them through the restaurant window, though it turned out that Hanayo knew one of them. When they had finished eating, and when they stepped outside together only to feel the occasional drop of rain on their skin, Nico - the one Hanayo knew - had suggested they go to her house before it started to rain harder. They thankfully made it just in time.

She had just gotten off the phone with her parents to let them know she was safe, and that she was staying with a friend until the storm passed. That friend didn't own the house, but it sounded weird to say that she was taking shelter in the house of an upperclassman she'd never talked to before. Interestingly, as she'd soon enough learn, their little impromptu group had a representative from each year.

Everyone had eventually been coerced in one way or another to doing something. Nico and Kotori were entertaining Nico's siblings while Nozomi and Hanayo talked quietly on the couch, with a golden-furred feline sitting on Nozomi's lap. She wondered if she should go over and join either smaller group, but she wasn't sure what to say, so she continued to watch the rain fall for a bit longer.

A light sensation brushed across her legs, but when she looked down there was nothing there. Confused, Umi looked back up, only to find the culprit sitting on the windowsill and staring out at the rain. Another feline, this one with a striking coat of crimson, glanced back at her, twitching an ear before returning to stare out the window.

Everybody seemed to be getting along well enough, which was good. There's always a worry about initial awkwardness when people who don't know each other get together, but so far it seemed to be going decently. Her eyes were torn from the storm outside and once again placed upon Kotori, who was laughing at something one of Nico's siblings said. It was a serene scenario, and she was pleased that Kotori seemed to be at ease.

At the same time, she couldn't help but feel that the four of them seemed to connect so well. It was just a gut feeling, but despite not all of them knowing each other, they seemed to find themselves at ease together, like it was a room full of old friends. It was only a small, quiet thought, but that small, quiet thought questioned her: did she fit anywhere in this group?

* * *

"How long are they staying for?" It had taken some prodding, but Maki had finally gotten Nico alone, where she was finally able to ask her said question. She was feeling a bit cramped in the house now. Nico, her family, and Nozomi had been a lot on their own, but now there were three other people too. Were they going to have the entire town over at some point?

"You're being a pretty rude host, Maki."

"In case you've forgotten, I'm still a guest."

"Well they're guests too."

"I was here first." Nico rolled her eyes, causing Maki to glare at her. Well, it was true, right? "Besides, where would they sleep? There's no room."

"Calm down, Maki. The storm will probably blow over soon enough."

"I _am_ calm."

"Could've fooled me." Hissing in annoyance, Maki stormed - appropriately enough - out of the hall and into Nico's room, where she decided to take refuge from the influx of people. Nico was way too liberal about letting strangers into her house.

Maki closed her eyes and let the sounds of the rain reach her ears, enjoying the soothing sounds of the weather. It was quieter in here, with the din of sound coming from the living room mostly drowned out by the rain and the walls. It was just her and her mind, and her mind decided to bring up the topic of the future, like she needed to hear about that.

The future was different for her and the other guardians as opposed to their charges: that was undeniable. How would their lives go, though? Would they end up happy, or would nothing change? That would mean they failed their jobs as guardians. See, this was the problem with revealing yourself, with getting attached in any way: normal thoughts could bring unintended sadness. All Maki could do about it now was grumble silently about Eli being so reckless.

It would be best if they became happy, right? The sooner the better. Then Nozomi and Nico wouldn't need them, and they could call their assignments a success. Why did that feel strange to think about, though? Nico had made it clear before that she didn't need her, so it didn't matter. It shouldn't matter.

Why did the thought of leaving feel so weird now?

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** What a coincidence. Everybody's hanging out together. It's a perfect storm of events. Calm down, Maki. You're acting like a child. An adorable child, though. Next time: they all had a get together, and without Honoka and Rin? That wasn't nice at all! What'll those two get up to now?


	20. Chapter 20

**Author's Notes:** Alright, this is my second edit, so now _two_ quick mentions: I've never really mentioned how 'old' the guardians are, and unless it's explicitly needed to be mentioned in the story, it won't be. I will say one thing, though: how they look does not necessarily represent how old they are. For example, if someone was to live a full, healthy 90 years, they could appear as any age they wanted between birth-90. If they were 20, then between birth-20. I hope that's not too confusing, but let me know if it is! Also, I totally forgot, we've reached twenty chapters! Just over two months of writing, for a story that originally was conceived as a one shot, and now it's stormed past 50,000 words. This is a great time to once again thank all of you for reading, commenting, liking, printing it out to burn in effigy. You all are awesome!

* * *

Rin was happy when Hanayo returned home with a smile on her face. She was happy, which was good! Jumping onto the bed and curling up in Hanayo's lap, she purred contently and listened to Hanayo talk about her day.

"Today was actually a great day, Onigiri." That was great! Rin nestled deeper into Hanayo's lap and let out another low, rumbling purr. Feeling those soft fingers stroking her fur was very soothing. "I got perfect marks on my project with Kotori-chan, and she invited me to eat rice with her afterwards. It tasted so good!" Kotori, hm? She wondered if Honoka had been there. "Then we met Nico-senpai and went to her house while it was storming. It was really nice, but I was nervous talking to Nico-"

Rin's head shot up as Hanayo continued to speak, realizing just what she was saying. The names Umi and Nozomi came up as well, which led her to only one conclusion: they were all hanging out together, having a grand old time... without her. Oh no, this wouldn't do at all. Why did Eli and Maki always get to hang out with their charges while she and Honoka were left by themselves? That was going to have to change.

It was time for Operation Reveal Thyself!

* * *

Honoka was shocked - shocked! - when Rin revealed what she had learned. Admittedly she too had heard about their charges hanging out together, but not all the names had clicked due to her having never been to Nico's house. The flames of righteous indignation burned just as bright within her upon learning of such travesties.

"How come we don't get to go out and have fun?!" Eli was such a stickler for the rules, but even she broke them, as Honoka would also learn from Rin. Why was she the last to know all these things? That wasn't fair! "We wouldn't tell anyone else!"

"Right?!" All this newfound information was making Rin antsy. She wanted to get the experiences that their friends were getting, the experiences that they were being unfairly locked out of. Wouldn't it equally serve Hanayo and Kotori well if their pets turned out to be super cool people who were awesome? Exactly.

"Well I say we should go down there-"

"Yeah!"

"And give them a taste of their own medicine-"

"Yeah!"

"By getting us some good-tasting bread!" Rin nearly fell over.

"Honoka-chan..."

"Ehehe, sorry, but Kotori-chan feeds me some really good bread, and it's so worth it. You gotta try it!"

"Maybe we should reveal ourselves to our charges first, and then get the bread."

"Aww, okay." Honoka pouted slightly, but was quick to cheer up as they went over their plan. It was a simple one: all they would have to do was talk to their charges. That was easy enough, right? They'd be so surprised!

* * *

Excitement flowed through Rin's body like electricity as she kneaded her paws on the bedspread. Hanayo was sleeping currently, but soon she would be awake, and Rin would finally get to actually speak to her. She was so excited! Soon enough, the sleepy figure of her charge slowly sat up, stifling a yawn as she began to wipe the sleep from her eyes. "Good morning, Onigiri."

"Good morning, Kayochin!" Hanayo nodded sleepily, swinging her legs off the bed before freezing her movements. Eyes widening, she slowly turned her head to her cat, who she could have sworn had just... had just talked.

"O-Onigiri?" Surely she was just hearing things. She was just tired: that had to be it. It was impossible for cats to-

"Hi!" Nope, Onigiri had just spoken. It was happening. Either one, she was dreaming, or two, she was going crazy. Tentatively she reached down and pinched her arm.

"Ow!" She was awake, and that meant only one option remained. Quickly choosing the best course of action, she fell right back onto the bed and fainted.

"Ah! Kayochin!"

* * *

Slowly her eyes began to open, wresting herself away from the throes of unconsciousness. Blinking away the bleariness, her vision began to focus on something leaning over her. No, it wasn't some _thing_ , but some _one_. As her eyes began to see clearer, she could tell that this someone was a girl who looked to be about her age, with a head of bright orange hair. Huh, funny, it was the exact same color as Onigiri's fur... Wait, Onigiri?

With a jolt, Hanayo jumped up, only to be sent right back down after colliding with the girl's forehead. "Owwww!" Both girls shared those sentiments as the other girl fell backwards, both of them clutching their foreheads. Dropping her hands, she suddenly realized the situation at hand: there was a stranger in her room. No, wait... _That girl from the Halloween party was in her room!_ "A-Ahh! Wh-What are you doing here?!"

"Shhh, Kayochin! It's me, Onigiri!" The girl's voice came out a hushed but harried whisper, and now she was claiming to be a cat. The hyper girl from the party was claiming to be _her_ cat. Was she positive that she wasn't dreaming?

"Wh-what?! N-No, that's not... Th-That... S-Somebody help me!"

"Hanayo?" Ah, her mom! Relieved, Hanayo looked again at the girl... and she was gone. Blinking in confusion, she gazed all over her room, but all she could see was Onigiri staring up at her from the floor. It seemed like maybe she had been standing right where the girl with the orange hair had been just a moment ago.

At that point, her mom burst into the room, drawn to her daughter's desperate shouts. "Hanayo, what happened? What's wrong?"

"Uh..." Well now the girl was gone, and maybe, just maybe, she was also a cat. She would probably seem crazy if she said that there had been a strange girl in her room, but she had vanished without a trace. Scratch that, she _would_ seem crazy. "I-I just had a bad dream." Her mom came over and gently hugged her, and she leaned into the embrace, feeling bad for lying. There was no way she could explain what she had seen without being crazy, though.

Eventually her mom left to let her wake up in peace, at which point Onigiri transformed into the orange-haired girl right in front of her eyes. "Phew, that was a close one!" Covering her mouth to stifle another scream, Hanayo stared at the girl with wide, scared eyes.

"Wh-What... H-How?" All she could do was stammer helplessly, unable to even attempt to form a proper sentence.

"Ehehe, sorry for scaring you, Kayochin!" Onigiri - well, human Onigiri- scratched the back of her head, laughing sheepishly. "Lemme explain!" And so Hanayo sat there and listened to Onigiri explain what was going on. It was very difficult to wrap her head around the fact that she had a guardian bestowed upon her, her seemingly-innocent feline actually being a legitimate angel. It was also a bit depressing to hear that she was thought to be so low that she needed someone to watch over her, but she had to admit that it made sense.

Rin, as it turned out her actual name was, seemed to be very friendly and full of energy. She was currently clinging onto Hanayo as she spoke about how much she had wanted to really speak to her all this time, while the recipient of her affections was trying to fight off a blossoming blush at just how close Rin was. This was turning out to be a very confusing morning.

"My friends haven't really gotten to meet you, but they'll love you just like I do!"

"Y-Your friends?" There were others here like her?

"Yeah! I bet you'll hear from one real soon!" Maybe Rin was clairvoyant, because just as those words finished leaving her lips, Hanayo's phone rang. Jumping in surprise, she grabbed it with a shaky hand and looked at the caller ID, her surprise only growing in power. "K-Kotori-chan?!"

* * *

Kotori had been very happy to have been allowed to have Pan in the house with her. She felt a lot less alone with someone else sleeping in the room with her. When she woke up in the morning, like this morning, and saw her canine friend curled up next to her bed in slumber, it never failed to put a smile on her face.

Today, however, Pan was already up and ready to greet her, tail wagging in anticipation. "Ah, good morning, Pan." She received a bark in acknowledgement, and she giggled softly as she stood up to get ready for the day. Heading for her closet, she hummed quietly as she looked for which outfit she would wear that day. Her fingers ran across a cute top she had sewn recently, one that she believed really fit well on her.

Taking it off of its hanger, she turned around and held it to her torso. "What do you think Pa-Ahh!" The top dropped from her hands and to the floor, her back pressing against her clothes in total shock. On her bed, with a big, goofy grin on her face, was not her lovable dog Pan, but instead a girl with very familiar ginger hair. It may not have been in a mohawk anymore, but she definitely recognized her from the Halloween party. Now, as to how she got into Kotori's room? That was something she couldn't answer.

"Hey-o!" The girl greeted her with a salute, but Kotori was still stuck trying to understand just how she got into her room, and what had happened to Pan.

"Wh-Who are you? How did you get in here? Wh-Where's Pan?!" Instead of answering, the girl just stood up and pointed to her neck, the grin still on her face. With great trepidation, Kotori looked at the girl's neck, letting out an audible gasp when she saw Pan's collar fastened perfectly upon it. "Y-You... You took Pan's collar?!"

"What? No!" The girl gasped, looking almost offended at the insinuation. "I _am_ Pan! See?" To try and prove her honesty, she barked in a very convincing way, then jumped forward and tackled Kotori, sending the two of them back into the closet as the girl began to lick at her face. Okay, now there was a girl whom she only saw once, a girl she had never talked to, in her room, pretending to be her dog, and licking her face. How red was her face right now? She really needed a mirror to check.

"Wh-What are you doing?" She successfully pushed the other girl off, but it only made her fall to the ground with a high-pitched squeak.

"Remember? That's how we first met!" The girl seemed to be very pleased with her reasoning, but Kotori couldn't help but feel that she might be just a tad crazy. Still, she didn't seem to hold an malicious intent, so she allowed the girl to help her back to her feet. "Oh wait, first I ran into your window. Aw, I don't want to do that again, though. That hurt!"

"H-How do you know that happened?"

"Because I did it! Just don't tell anyone, okay? That was embarrassing." Kotori still looked unsure, so the other girl moved back to make more room. "Maybe I should've just started with this." Before her eyes, Kotori watched the strange girl transform into a dog. Not just any dog, but Pan, just as the girl had been saying. She rubbed her eyes and looked again, but everything was still the same.

"P-Pan?" Her voice was light and shaky, having trouble comprehending what was happening. Even when 'Pan' turned right back into the ginger girl, she still had no idea what to believe. "H-How?"

So she was sat down and got the same explanation as all the others had, though of course she had no knowledge of anyone receiving such incredible news. Then she was told to call Hanayo. Why? She didn't know, but she wasn't in much state to argue, so she dialed the number.

* * *

"K-Kotori-chan?!" Was this who Rin was referring to? She didn't even know what to say.

"H-Hey Hanayo-chan." Kotori's voice seemed rather tentative, as if she was feeling unsure. That would make sense, considering Hanayo was way past that point. "Okay, s-so... So I know this is going to sound impossible, but..."

"W-Were you visited by someone from the Halloween party?" The line went silent, making Hanayo wonder if Kotori had hung up.

"Y-Yes." So she was right. Well, maybe that made them both crazy. "You did too, then?"

"Sh-She's sitting right here."

"Hi Kotori-chan!" Rin's voice startled Hanayo, who nearly dropped the phone in surprise. On the other end, she heard another voice saying Rin's name, one that wasn't recognizable.

"I-Is that your, uh, guardian?"

"Mm. Maybe we need to meet up and get this straightened up.

"Y-Yeah." Both Rin and Honoka began to buzz with excitement.

* * *

They met at Kotori's house, since her mom had left to do something school-related. As soon as they entered the house, Rin morphed into a human once more and gave Honoka a high five while their two charges stared dumbfounded. They both understood, but they still had no idea how to process all of this information. All they could do was look at each other and shrug.

Soon they were in Kotori's room, being introduced to each others' guardians. Rin and Honoka were providing the enthusiasm, while Kotori and Hanayo contributed with a healthy dose of bewildered staring. This was a lot to handle, after all.

"You two aren't as excited as I thought." Honoka pouted at their charges, who were quick to try and deny any boredom.

"N-No, i-it's not that!" Hanayo waved her hands in front of her, murmuring hurried apologies.

"We're just trying to process it all," Kotori admitted, looking at the two excitable guardians, who didn't seem too put-off by their lack of equal excitement.

"We didn't mean to scare you. Our friends met their charges like this though, and we wanted to as well!" Rin grinned and leapt into Hanayo's lap, nearly knocking the poor girl over as she squeaked in surprise. "I still get to lay in your lap though, right Kayochin?"

"Y-You're a bit big for that, Rin." She made no moves to push her off though, and instead turned to Kotori helplessly, pouting slightly when she found her friend hiding her laughter behind a hand. "K-Kotori-chan!"

"I'm sorry!" She was still laughing though, and now Honoka was too. "It's just really cute." No matter how red Hanayo's face ended up, any tension caused by total and utter confusion was able to slowly trickle away, leaving the ability for their friendships to grow. Once they were able to understand that their pets were not animals at all, it became easier to speak more freely. They were still surprised when it was revealed just who else had guardians as well.

"Eh?! Nico-senpai and Nozomi-senpai too?!"

* * *

 **Author's Notes (2):** Honoka and Rin could stand it no longer. They want to have fun too. I'm sure Eli will understand, right? Next time: Maybe Maki will actually talk to Eli about how she's feeling. It's not like she's one to keep her feelings bottled up- oh right.


	21. Chapter 21

_With the passing days, Eli continued to see the frightened girl with the red curls. At first it was impossible to approach her, as she would run away and Eli was forced to chase after her again. It seemed as if her very existence frightened the girl, like if she wasn't visible, the redhead wouldn't have to admit the truth. She was dogged, however, and one day it seemed like the girl was finally tired of running, allowing Eli to actually stand next to her without freaking out._

 _Her name was Maki. That took a lot of effort just to get that tidbit of information, but Eli was glad to call her something other than 'the girl with red hair' in her mind. It was nearly impossible to get much more than that out of her, though. She could almost physically feel the walls blocking her out, and it would take more than the world's strongest chisel to chip a hole in those barriers. She wasn't done trying, though. No matter what, she wanted to see a smile on that face._

* * *

Maki stared glumly into the gloom, shifting around on the bed next to a sleeping Nico. She hated how weird it felt whenever she would see Eli and Nozomi really close together. It was one thing when Eli was in her feline form, but whenever she would catch them while the blonde was human, it made her stomach feel uneasy. Nico had snidely remarked that Maki was just coming down with a severe case of jealously, but she had pushed that spurious accusation aside. It couldn't be that... right?

"Just go talk to her already." Maki nearly jumped out of her fur, finding that Nico was not asleep, but instead staring straight at her. "Your constant movements are keeping me up."

"Sorry," she muttered, glancing away. "I'll just go sleep in the corner, then."

"Oh quit being such a baby." Nico sat up and grabbed Maki, startling the scarlet feline as she was lifted off the bed and into the air. "You'll be sleeping outside if you don't go talk to Eli."

"I can just get back in, you know." She squirmed around in Nico's grasp, trying to get back down to the floor as her charge carried her out of the room.

"You and your ghost powers, always ruining things."

"I am not a ghost- Oof!" They had reached the living room, where Nico proceeded to unceremoniously drop Maki on her stomach.

"I thought cats were supposed to land on their feet."

"Sh-Shut up!" She turned to glare at Nico, but the twin-tailed girl had already begun walking back to her room. "H-Hey, don't leave me here!"

"You can come back in once you've patched things up out here." Maki hissed in annoyance, but Nico wasn't budging, so now she was stuck out here. Glancing over towards the couch, she could see Nozomi was asleep, but a certain feline figure was curled up next to her, head up and blue eyes staring right at her. _'Dammit, she's awake.'_

Silently and gracefully Eli descended from the couch and made her way over, looking at Maki with a confused expression. "What's up, Maki? Everything alright?"

"Uh, yeah, it's... fine." She cringed at her own half-hearted response, and from the look on Eli's face it seemed like it did nothing to assuage any worries. This really wasn't a conversation she wanted to have. What was she supposed to do now?

* * *

 _Getting Maki to talk about herself was like pulling teeth with tweezers. It was clear that she still had some major baggage over her lost tether to the Earth, and eventually Eli gave up on trying to learn about her previous life. Instead, she started small, initiating conversations about likes and sightseeing, trying to be an emotional soundboard for her new reticent friend._

 _To her pleasant surprise, it actually began to work, and though Maki was still unwilling to open up a ton, little openings began appearing for Eli to enter and learn more about her. For the longest time, she was the only person Maki would even hold a conversation with, the only one whom the redhead felt comfortable being around. While she wanted her to open up more and hang around other people as well, she felt a sense of pride that she was the one Maki would come to talk to, sometimes even without prompting._

 _When Eli decided it was finally time to introduce Maki to her other friends, their first meeting went about as well as she could've expected. Putting someone as shy and reserved like Maki around two balls of energy like Honoka and Rin was bound to end in disaster, but Eli was somewhat encouraged that the encounter lasted nearly twenty... seconds. Rin, excited to meet Eli's new friend, pounced on Maki to give her a hug, and the startled redhead ran away. Honoka laughed so hard she fell over, while Rin just stared after her in confusion. Now Eli would have to find her again._

* * *

"Maki, I feel like you've been avoiding me." Well, now it was out there. Maki gulped nervously and tried to avoid Eli's gaze, but she kept moving around to make sure she was in Maki's sights. "Like right now."

"I-I'm not avoiding you."

"Then what are you doing right now?" Good point. Maki didn't have a proper response to that, so she stayed silent and glanced at a point above Eli, who just sighed quietly. "Look, Maki, I know things haven't been going as smoothly as we all originally planned, and that most of it is my fault. We need to communicate better, though." Eli gave her a reassuring smile, but if anything, it only made her feel worse. "You know you can tell me if I did anything to upset you."

Maki's tail swished nervously just above the carpet, not wanting to admit the feelings that were bubbling up to the surface. How was she supposed to tell Eli that she wanted to spend more time with her without seeming like a massive hypocrite? The fact that she was... _jealous_ of Nozomi for monopolizing Eli's time made her feel sick, and she knew that it wouldn't sound any better being voiced aloud.

Why should Nozomi get all of Eli's attention, though? Okay, so she _was_ Eli's charge, but still... She hadn't thought far enough to give a satisfying answer to that. They'd only had their charges for over a month, though. Maki had known Eli a lot longer than that. Didn't that count for anything?

"Just... It's not you. It's getting used to how things are going now." She forced a smile, hoping that Eli wouldn't notice how strained it was. Time seemed to slow down, making Maki worry that she would have to explain further, but finally Eli gave her a nod.

"It's tough, I know, but we'll get through it. We're more than capable of doing this."

"Y-Yeah. I'm going back to Nico's room." Without another word, she padded out of the room and towards Nico's door, which she knocked on until the occupant finally got up and opened the door for her.

"You'd better have talked to Eli."

"I did. We're fine." Well, at least part of it was true. Jumping onto the bed, she curled up in the top left corner and closed her eyes, prepared to claw holes in the bedspread to avoid Nico picking her up and dumping her outside again. Luckily, there was no fight needed, and the night passed by them uninterrupted.

* * *

"Have you talked to Maki, Elicchi?"

"Last night, actually." Eli and Nozomi were spending the afternoon at the local shrine. Out of necessity of course, considering Nozomi's work. While she went around making sure everything was as it should be, Eli would follow her around, occasionally nuzzling her leg to receive pettings.

"Did she seem... mad at all?" The question caught Eli off-guard, and she stopped in place to look up at Nozomi curiously.

"No. Well, she seemed slightly off, but we talked about getting through our assignments and that seemed to make things alright." Strangely, that didn't seem to placate Nozomi. Rather, her frown deepened as she stopped sweeping and moved closer to Eli.

"Elicchi... At the Halloween party, Maki seemed to be... well, annoyed with me."

"Huh? Why would she be annoyed with you?" Rather, how could anyone be annoyed with Nozomi. If there was anything close to a flawless person, it was her. Besides, Maki never mentioned anyone else's charges all that much.

"Well, when I asked if I could borrow Nicocchi so we could get something to eat, she got mad and said that I had 'taken' you." She bit her lip nervously, not feeling entirely comfortable with revealing such a thing to Eli, but considering everything that had been going on, maybe it needed to be said. "Are you sure that everything's alright?"

"I... thought they were?" Now Eli was more confused than ever. What could that have meant? "I don't understand. You haven't 'taken' me or anything." The two of them stood in silence to think on it, Nozomi even stopping her work to better concentrate. After a few minutes, her eyes lit up with realization.

"Elicchi, we've been spending a lot of time together, haven't we?"

"Of course. You're my charge after all."

"That's not what I meant." Nozomi gave the still-confused Eli a soft smile, leaning down to pet her again. "I mean that we spend a lot of time together being really close. Maybe Maki misses you." Eli hadn't considered that. Of course, it hadn't even seemed like a consideration at all, but maybe it should have been. It wasn't like Maki was very open with her feelings anyway.

"You really think so?" Nozomi nodded, leaving Eli to ponder further on it. "Maybe I need to go talk to her again."

* * *

Maki was not expecting Eli to come up to her while their charges were in school. She was spending less and less time with her friends, but today she had decided to go back up, though she chosen to wander around rather than sit at their usual table. Somehow, despite what seemed to be random wanderings, Eli had still found her.

"Maki, can we talk?" They _could_ , but Maki wasn't sure she wanted to again. It was becoming more of a chore to keep her wayward emotions in check lately.

"Didn't we talk this week?"

"Do you only talk to your friends once a week?" Eli laughed softly, trying to lighten the mood a little.

"Do you only kiss Nozomi once a week?" Coming to a halt, Eli could feel her face burning. Okay, so maybe Nozomi was on to something.

"Wh-What?"

"Eli, I literally found you on top of her." Maki stopped as well and faced Eli, crossing her arms. "I hope she's worth risking our wings for."

"Maki..."

"No, I get it. She's pretty attractive, right?" She twirled her hair idly, no longer looking at Eli. "But hey, you're our leader. You can do what you want."

"Th-That is not what's going on and you know it!" Things were starting to get out of hand, and Eli could feel her composure slipping slightly. Why did Maki have to be so difficult all the time? She was only trying to help!

"Oh? Then what is going on, exactly?"

"Just... I..." Words were failing her as she tried to explain herself, which was made somewhat more difficult by the fact that she did kind of screw them over. Nozomi was special, though. Like, amazingly special. If Maki felt the way about Nico that she did about Nozomi, she'd understand. "If you hung out with Nozomi and I, then you could see that she's..."

Eli let her sentence die a slow death, feeling a chill coming over her. Right away she could tell that she had only succeeded in making things worse, if the look in Maki's eyes was anything to go by. There was rage: unadulterated anger, and a flash of hurt that she only noticed way too late.

"If you want to be with Nozomi so bad, then just be with her." Maki's sentenced was hissed through gritted teeth, her hands curling into fists. Reflexively, Eli took a step back, but Maki didn't make a move to go after her. "You go spend all your time with her and have fun. You don't even have to leave her side. Honoka and Rin can come to me if they ever need anything."

"Maki, it's not-"

"Don't talk to me." Despite wanting to do anything but that, Eli clammed up, eyes wide as she stared at her visibly-shaking friend, Maki's facial expression hardening into one of stone. "And don't you dare try to find me again." Maki vanished after that, and Eli was left standing there, frozen, staring at the spot where her friend had just been standing.

Once again she had attempted to patch things up with Maki, and once again she had failed in spectacular fashion. What was she supposed to do now?

* * *

 _It took some time, but in the end Eli finally found Maki again. Surprisingly she was able to convince the redhead to come back with her, and this time she took the social steps a bit slower. She had Maki meet Honoka and Rin separately, which went better after she had convinced the two of them to not jump right into Maki's personal space._

 _Eventually Maki seemed comfortable enough to be around the three of them more often, to Honoka and Rin's great delight. She was happy about it as well, even if their new friend was still ever-reluctant to talk about herself. They wouldn't push her, since Eli was just glad she didn't have to be wandering these gilded halls alone._

 _Maybe they'd get to a point where Maki felt at ease enough to talk more, to let others in. For now, Eli was complacent with how things were, and she smiled knowing that Maki had become her friend. She wanted to make sure that the redhead always had someone to go to if she needed her._

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** So normally these don't take two weeks, but here we are. XD I've been having trouble getting words onto the computer, so it's been taking longer as a consequence. It could be that each chapter may take more time as I try to figure out where I want to go with them, but it will still continue!


	22. Chapter 22

**Author's Note:** So it's been awhile! Over a month in fact. It's been quite a slog to get anything out for this chapter, so I guess I've just lost steam for this story since early last month, but I finally was able to get this one done.

* * *

The sound of her phone vibrating right next to her face woke Nico from her slumber. Grumbling in annoyance, she grabbed at her phone and tried to shut it up, glaring blearily at the text scrawled across her screen: _'Nico-senpai, can you and Nozomi-senpai meet Kotori-chan and I at Kotori-chan's house? I'll text you the address.'_

Hanayo? What could be so important that they had to get up way too early - on a weekend, no less - and meet up at Kotori's house? Grousing, Nico decided what the hell and texted Hanayo back, saying that they would come over soon. She tried to go back to sleep, but a second text with the address quickly killed any idea of that occurring. So Nico rose slowly, like a zombie come back to life, trying to blink the sleep from her eyes. A glance at her phone once more let her know just how early it was... 11:30 AM. Oh. Maybe she had slept longer than she thought.

* * *

Rousing Nozomi from her own elongated slumber, the two of them got dressed and headed out, with Nico trying to forget the sight of Nozomi giving her cat - or, well, 'cat' - a great, big hug. She knew what was going on, but it still was weird to be so affectionate to what anybody else would believe was just a regular ol' feline.

"Do you have any idea what Hanayo-chan wants?" Nozomi broke the silence as they walked, asking a question that Nico herself wished she had the answer to. It was certainly odd, but she couldn't think of what it was.

"No idea. Maybe we did something wrong?"

"We barely even talked though." Nozomi seemed slightly worried, making Nico feel a bit guilty for automatically bringing up a pessimistic option first. She gently bumped Nozomi with her shoulder, giving her the best smile she could muster.

"Or maybe they want to treat us to lunch!" That got Nozomi to laugh, which put a genuine smile on Nico's face. When they got to Kotori's house, however, and knocked on the door, they would soon learn that neither of those scenarios were to be played out.

* * *

"We've learned something... interesting, recently." Those were the first words out of Kotori's mouth once Nico and Nozomi entered the room, and that usually wasn't something that someone said when inviting their friends to lunch. Unless the interesting thing they learned was a new restaurant. Nico wasn't holding out much hope for that, though.

"And what might that be?" She tried to keep her composure while simultaneously wracking her brain for what exactly Kotori could be talking about. Maybe... Maybe Hanayo was actually a werewolf! No, that was ridiculous. There was no such thing as werewolves. Then again, she hadn't believed in angels just a month ago... Was Hanayo a werewolf?

"W-Well..." Hanayo wrung her hands nervously, shifting her eyes between Kotori and their guests. Was... Was Hanayo actually a werewolf? Was this really happening? Nico wasn't sure she could take much more craziness. Next to her, Nozomi was starting to look a bit nervous as well. She wondered if her friend was having the same thoughts.

"It might be better if we just showed you." Kotori whistled, and suddenly two animals - a dog and a cat - tumbled out from beneath the bed, spilling out in the center of the gathered four. They immediately jumped up and stared at the two newcomers, the dog's tail wagging rapidly. "Pan, Onigiri, it'd be best if you showed them yourselves."

"What? Showed us wha-aaaaa!" After all that had happened to them, Nico probably shouldn't have been surprised when those two animals turned into two humans, but surprised she was. In shock, she shrieked and jumped into the air, landing in Nozomi's arms and staring wide-eyed at the two gingers standing before them. Nozomi wasn't much better, having been very lucky to not let Nico slip between her arms.

"Hi hi!" The taller one shouted, bouncing over to grab Nico's hand and shake it, giving the two of them a big smile. "Kousaka Honoka at your service! Well, at Kotori's service, but that didn't have as good a ring to it."

"And I'm Rin, nya!" The other one chimed in, rushing over to shake Nozomi's hand, which led to her accidentally dropping Nico. "Ah! Sorry, Nico-chan!"

"Ow..." Nico groaned, rubbing her tender backside. "Let me guess: you're Hanayo's guardian, then?"

"Yup!" Rin bent down to grin at Nico, reaching down to offer a helping hand, which Nico took with some reluctance. "I'm so happy to finally get to meet Eli-chan and Maki-chan's charges!"

"Me too! Me too!" Massaging her temples with two fingers, Nico felt a headache coming on. She had not expected to wake up just to be assaulted by pure energy. Not to mention coming to find out that there were others, people she knew no less, that had guardians just like her. What were the chances that they'd all end up being friends?

"So you're the friends that Elicchi was talking about." Nozomi smiled, having gotten over the initial shock a lot quicker than Nico was.

"Wait, you knew?!" Now there was more surprise to deal with. Nozomi shot her an apologetic grin.

"Sorry Nicocchi, but I couldn't tell you. Elicchi would've been mad."

"Okay, well, I'm the one who's mad now!" Nico pouted, crossing her arms and sounding out an exaggerated 'hmpf!' She wasn't actually mad, but she wanted Nozomi to feel a little bit sorry. With the way her friend was laughing though, it probably wasn't working. "Oh whatever!" Turning towards Hanayo and Kotori, she addressed her next question to them. "Did you both also meet your 'pets' randomly?" They both nodded. "Thought so, but..." Now she turned to Honoka. "Everyone else is a cat. Why are you a dog?"

"It's no fun if everyone is the same thing!" Honoka pouted, looking to Rin for backup. "And dog's are a human's best friend, and I wanted to be Kotori's best friend!"

"She's a cute dog, right?" Rin pitched in helpfully, smiling brightly at Nico and Nozomi.

"I guess that's one way to describe it," Nico muttered, but Nozomi interrupted before she could say anything else a bit too carelessly.

"What about your other friend?"

"Hmm?" Hanayo and Kotori gave Nozomi a curious glance.

"The blue-haired one. Umi, wasn't it? Does she have a guardian too?"

"Yeah," Nico chimed in. "It seems like everyone we interact with has one. I guess we're magnets for stuff like this or something."

"Uh, I don't think so?" Kotori shrugged, tilting her head in thought. "I've never seen any animals around her."

"And it's not one of us," Honoka added. "At least not anyone in our group."

"Then I guess..." Nico rubbed her chin in thought, then pointed a finger skyward. "She is the black sheep of our group: a normal person!" Rin gasped while Nozomi smirked at such a declaration.

"N-No need to single Sonoda-senpai out like that," Hanayo murmured sheepishly. That got both Nico and Nozomi to laugh. It wasn't exactly funny, but it wasn't exactly a normal situation.

"Alright, alright. So... now what?" Nico looked over the small gathering they had, well, gathered in Kotori's room. Nobody seemed to know where to proceed from there, and Nico herself was just coming down from the utter confusion and surprise of what had just occurred. She didn't need any more surprises that day.

"Well, I think we should all hang out more!" Rin clapped her hands, then pounced on Hanayo, who nearly fell over from the contact. "Now that the cat's out of the bag, there's no reason we all can't do stuff together!"

"Rin, that joke was awful," Nico muttered, though both Honoka and Nozomi were giggling. "Oh, don't encourage her."

"I think it's a good idea though." Kotori clasped her hands together, a slightly nervous expression in her eyes. "I mean, we all have our... reasons for being given a guardian, right?" No one could argue with that, negative though the connotations may be. "It'd be nice to have more friends."

"And we're basically friends already," Nozomi pitched in, though she didn't seem too sure on that point. "Right...?"

"It would appear so," Nico shrugged, getting nods of agreement from the others. "You know what we can do?"

"What's that?" Hanayo asked.

"We can gossip about our guardians together when they're not here."

"Yeah! ... Hey, wait, what?" Honoka pouted at the idea, and Rin soon joined her. "Wah, don't gossip about us!"

"Weren't you the one who dressed like a punk rocker and disturbed the Halloween party?"

"... Why don't we talk about Eli-chan instead? I heard she was scared of the dark." That got a good laugh from everyone else.

Meanwhile, some distance away, Eli could feel her ears start to burn. "Huh... That's weird."

* * *

Everything had ended up becoming nice and friendly between the other guardians and the charges. However, all those fun times were washed away once Honoka and Rin went back up, after their charges had gone to sleep. In its place came a harsh tension and no shortage of awkwardness as the two gingers sat at their usual table, looking at each other with nervous expressions.

It wasn't the fact that they were in trouble with Eli and Maki, since they were well aware that was likely to happen. While they had expected to be yelled at, they were left stunned when Eli and Maki began yelling at each other, and now the two were refusing to look at each other, leaving the atmosphere with a rather uncomfortable vibe.

Honoka was the first to notice Eli's angry facade crack, her eyes glancing towards Maki regretfully. Something must have happened, though she had no idea what it was. They couldn't just sit there like this, though. Someone needed to say something, and Honoka, master of tact she was, decided that she would be that person.

"Are you two mad at each other?" Flawless.

"No!" They both shouted simultaneously, then they glanced at each other, only to look pointedly away again.

"I think you two might be mad at each other." Now their glares were aimed at Honoka. At least they weren't glaring at each other now. "Did you say something mean, Maki-chan?"

"Wh-What?!" Maki sputtered, her eyes widening at the accusation. "What makes you think I did something?"

"Well..." Honoka gave her a sheepish smile, making Maki scowl.

"Well I didn't do anything, so there." Honoka and Rin glanced at each other. If Maki really didn't do anything, then...

"Eli-chan?" Rin looked towards the blonde, who started in surprise.

"E-Eh? I didn't do anything!"

"You did _someone_ ," Maki muttered quietly, drawing Eli's attention again.

"I have apologized so many times, Maki!" Eli whispered, though it was loud enough for everyone at the table to hear. So maybe they were a little bit mad. Maki refused to look up or respond. "Will you just let me explain?"

"There's nothing to explain." Though she looked up, her gaze was not on any of them. "I think I hear Nico calling me." With that, Maki stood up, her chair clattering harshly against the ground as she started walking away.

"You can hear her from up here?!" Rin gasped in astonishment, only to have both Eli and Honoka look at her funny. "What? ... Oh. _Oh_. ... M-Maki-chan, wait!" A second chair joined the first on the ground as Rin bounded up and ran after Maki, leaving Eli and Honoka at the table. As Rin's shouts faded away, Honoka turned to Eli with a concerned expression on her face.

"Eli-chan..."

"I know, I know," Eli groaned, looking where Maki had just walked off to with no small amount of regret. She had definitely messed up, again. This was becoming a habit.

"What happened, Eli-chan?" Eli sighed and ran a hand through her hair, shaking her head slightly.

"It's a long story."

* * *

 **Author's Note (2):** Fluff on one side, angst on the other. Who will emerge victorious? Next time, Honoka and Rin try to figure out what's going on. Let's see if they end up successful.


	23. Chapter 23

_"Mama, will everything really be alright?" Bright amethyst eyes seemed to be the only part left of the young girl that still held life. Even for one who was constantly inundated by death and immune to its horrible ways, only one with no heart could remain internally calm when seeing someone they love on their deathbed. The fact that it was her daughter, her beautiful and innocent daughter, made the injustice especially cruel. It was for her that she remained strong. Why put undue stress on her last moments?_

 _"Of course, dear. You're going to be just fine." Her words held enough conviction, but tears still threatened to spill from her eyes all the same. It wasn't okay to lie to anyone, much less your own child, but still she spoke those words. She couldn't bear to dampen what remaining spirit still remained in those eyes. A soft, frail smile graced those lips, and it just about broke her heart. There wasn't much time left, but she was determined to spend as much of it as possible with her._

 _"That's good." A shudder ran down the young girl's spine and she curled back up in the bed, the room too silent for any sane person to survive in. Only the tick of the clock hands broke the silence, ringing heavily in her mother's ears. The hands were moving rhythmically towards the end, and if only she could break the glass and stop those hands, just to keep her here a little longer. Every word spoken could very well be the last, and she never wanted to feel this way again. "I love you, Mama."_

 _Why did love have to hurt so bad? It seemed so final to hear those words, the last phrase said at night before everything faded to black. That black was supposed to be temporary. Death was never so frightening until it was in your house, taking everything that you had ever cared for. "I love you too, Maki dear." Being strong had never been so hard._

 _She was awake until 3:46 AM. She would never forget the time. It was as if there was no end to the tears, pouring down her cheeks at this ungodly hour. How could anyone sleep when their heart was overflowing with pain?_

* * *

She should have just left immediately, rather than walking away. It allowed someone following her to catch up, and Maki did not want to talk about what just happened. Unfortunately, that probably wasn't going to work with Rin, who easily caught up to Maki and grabbed her shoulder, a grasp which Maki wrenched herself out of.

"Maki-chan, hold on!" Reluctantly, Maki turned to face Rin, who was giving her a look of great concern. "What was that about?"

"Nothing." She didn't care how much interrogation she had to go through: she did _not_ want to talk about it.

"Did something happen between you and Eli-chan?"

"No."

"Maki-chan..."

"Rin, I don't want to talk about it. Leave me alone." She wanted to leave, but Rin suddenly grabbed her hand and refused to let go. "What are you doing?"

"I'm not letting you leave, Maki-chan." Rin's eyes were full of determination, and no matter how hard she tried, Maki couldn't extract her hand. "Not until you tell me what happened."

"Nothing happened, Rin!" She found herself shouting, but at this point she didn't care. Why couldn't any of them just listen to her? "Just let... me... go! Aaah!" In her desperate attempt to free herself, she ended up dragging both of them to the ground, groaning lowly as she looked up into Rin's surprised eyes. "Rin..."

"I didn't do it, nya."

"Get off of me."

"No." Maki sighed and tried to push Rin off, but she was stronger than she looked. Everyone was specifically determined to make things difficult for her.

"Rin, you're trying my patience."

"You're trying _my_ patience."

"Wh-What?!" Maki gaped at Rin. "I am not!"

"Are too."

"Am not." This was getting them nowhere. Maki was starting to feel squished, squirming around and trying to get free, all to no avail. "Rin, please..."

"Why can't you just tell me what's wrong?"

"Because it's none of your business!" Maki was growing frustrated, further aggravated by the fact that Rin was refusing to budge. She didn't like the pitying expression she was being given: she didn't need pity.

"It's about Eli-chan, isn't it?" Grimacing, Maki looked away, but the point had been made. She hated that she was suddenly so easy to read, after trying so hard to seem impassive. Why did everyone have to pry so badly? "Why don't you just talk to her?"

"Because she doesn't care!" Rin was taken aback by Maki's sudden outburst, eyes widening. "All she cares about is Nozomi! Nozomi this, Nozomi that! She ruined everything!" This was what she had wanted, for Maki to say what was going on in her mind, but Rin had admittedly been mostly prepared to be shut out. She hadn't realized that Eli's charge was causing Maki's anger.

"Maki-chan, Eli-chan still cares about you-"

"Like hell she does!" Maki spat out, slamming her fist against the floor. "Her way of showing she 'cares' is by telling me how great Nozomi is. I know, she's great, I'm not, I don't care!"

"Maki-chan..." Rin didn't know what else to say. She found herself moving off of Maki, who stood up and glared at Rin.

"I'm not doing this anymore, Rin. I quit."

"Q-Quit? You can't quit!"

"Don't bother following me. I... I can't take this anymore." Rin wanted to disobey Maki's wishes and stop her, but she found herself immobile, only able to watch as Maki disappeared.

"Oh... Maki-chan's one of those emotional teens, nya..."

* * *

"So you think it's because of Nozomi?" Honoka tipped her head slightly, trying to take in everything that Eli had just told her. It certainly was a lot to handle, though honestly it wouldn't have surprised her in the slightest.

"That's what Nozomi thinks," Eli elaborated, rubbing the back of her neck with a soft sigh. Nozomi seemed to think that she was the reason for Maki's anger, that the fact that she and Eli were constantly together rubbed Maki the wrong way. That didn't make sense though: she never complained about all the time Maki spent with Nico. Why was this different? "I don't get it though."

Honoka leaned back in her chair in thought, smiling slightly. For someone who was so smart, it seemed Eli was the least knowledgeable when it came to understanding the youngest of their group. "Eli-chan, remember when you first introduced Maki to us?"

"Yeah? You and Rin ran her off in twenty seconds."

"Okay first off, that was Rin-chan. I did nothing." Honoka stuck her tongue out before she continued on. "Okay, but do you remember why she came back?"

"Because I went and found her again." Eli was able to answer Honoka's questions, but she wasn't sure where the ginger was going with them.

"Only you could've done that, Eli-chan. No one else is as close to Maki-chan as you are. She looks up to you, though she'd never admit it." That seemed to do the trick, as Eli's eyes began to widen in realization.

"But... You're all her friends too."

"Well yeah, but you're her first friend! Her closest friend. She probably feels ignored with you spending all of your time with Nozomi-chan."

"Nozomi said that too..."

"And you didn't listen?"

"O-Of course I did!" Flustered, Eli glanced down at her feet, muttering quietly, "I keep trying to talk to Maki, but it never does any good. She just gets angrier."

"Well, what are you going to do? You have to do something!" Honoka stood up, staring right at Eli with sympathy. "She's hurt and she needs her best friend."

"I know! I just..." Eli sighed, looking past Honoka to where Maki had ran off to, where Rin still hadn't come back from. Every time she tried to make things right, she just made them worse. Why would any other attempt end differently? Maki didn't want anything to do with her anymore. "I don't know what to do."

* * *

Wringing her hands together, Maki sat hidden in a familiar spot, watching the entrance of the hospital intently. The doors would slide open every so often, letting people in and out, but they never were the person she wanted. They would have to show their face at some point though, and then she was going to talk to them.

It was a bad idea, and had the high potential to be a complete disaster, but Maki was emotionally distraught and willing to risk it all just to have one conversation with the man who had replaced her in her parents' lives. She hated this man, but she didn't even know his name, and simultaneously she wished to be him. He had everything she wanted, everything that had been unfairly taken from her.

The sun was beginning to set, but still she waited, like a statue unmovable from its purpose. A voice sounded out into the twilight, calling her name. Jolted up from her position, she looked towards the hospital, but nobody was there. Then it happened again, and she turned to find the culprit shouting from the sidewalk behind her. "Hey! Wait!"

 _"Wait!" Eli called in exasperation, finally catching up to the mysterious redhead. It had taken a lot more effort than before to track her down, but Eli had finally did it. Before Maki could get away again, she grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back, catching Maki off guard. "J-Jeez, hold on!"_

 _"Wh-What do you want?" Maki frowned and crossed her arms, though Eli could see the nervousness in her eyes. It was clear there was a lot of work to be done to get this girl to understand and accept what had happened, but she was willing to put in the work._

 _"I just wanted to apologize for Rin," Eli laughed softly, smiling awkwardly at Maki's disbelieving frown. "She can be a little... exuberant."_

 _"That's putting it mildly." Maki tried to leave again, but Eli stopped her once more. "What is your deal?"_

 _"It's not a good idea for you to be wandering around here by yourself. I can help you understand what happened."_

 _"I don't want to understand what happened!" She wrenched her arm out of Eli's grasp, her voice wavering as she spoke again. "I-I just want my mama..."_

 _"I know, dear," Eli sighed, gently placing an arm over Maki's shoulder. "I... I can't help with that, but I can be there for you when you need me. We're friends, after all."_

 _"We are?" Maki glanced up at Eli, trying to determine whether or not those words were genuine. "I... I don't have any friends."_

 _"Well, you have me." Eli smiled, feeling her heart grow warmer when Maki eventually smiled back. "And Honoka and Rin want to be your friends too."_

 _"They have an odd way of showing it," Maki scoffed, though she didn't attempt to deny it. Now that she had caught back up to Maki, it seemed like they were finally turning a corner. This was going pretty well._

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Well, that took about another month, christ. Finally though, I put in Maki's final moments, something I originally wrote for ch. 18. Took me long enough. Alright, so somehow Honoka knows about something more than Eli does, and it isn't bread. Shocker. Can Eli fix things, or will Maki continue to drift farther away from them? Jeez, this whole thing is totaling over 60k words. Tune in next time!


	24. Chapter 24

"Hey! Wait!" Maki turned and stared wide-eyed as Nico ran down the sidewalk towards her, not stopping until she had finally reached the redhead. Doubling over, Nico panted heavily, unable to speak for several minutes until she had caught her breath. Maki was surprised enough that she didn't even ask why Nico was there: she just waited until her charge was finally able to say something.

"Alright, good... Finally... caught up to you."

"How did you know I was here?" Maki tilted her head curiously as Nico gave her a big grin.

"The great Nico Ni always knows where to go!"

"Uh huh..." Maki shrugged, deflating Nico's ego somewhat. "Anyway, you can go home now. Pretty soon, I won't be your guardian anymore."

"Wait what?" Nico's jaw dropped, but quickly she started to laugh, patting Maki a bit roughly on the back. "Ohh, haha, good one. Trying to pull the wool over ol' Nico's eyes, huh? You almost got me." The laughter didn't last long once she noticed that Maki's expression was rather serious. "You... _are_ joking, right? I mean, you have to be."

"When do I ever joke, Nico?"

"Well, never, but there's a first time for everything." The redhead's expression didn't change, which began to worry Nico. "Okay, come on, Maki. This isn't funny."

"I never said it was funny." Crossing her arms, Maki turned away from Nico and once again faced the hospital. "I'm quitting." This once again left Nico speechless as she tried to make sense of what was just said to her. Maki was quitting? No, she couldn't be... but she seemed so serious. A touch of anger flared up inside her as she forcibly grabbed Maki's shoulder and spun her around.

"You can't just _quit_! What kind of example would that set for me?"

"Do as I say, not as I do?"

"That is a terrible example and you know it." It wasn't like she actually needed teachings from Maki, but there was definitely a point in there somewhere. "Is this about Eli again? Are you ever going to get over her?"

"You act like I'm in love with her." There was a frustrated glint in Maki's eyes as she glared at Nico. "It's none of your business anyway."

"Huh, I wonder where I've heard that before. Oh right, from you." Nico exhaled in frustration, matching Maki's glare. "I think you need to grow up and quit being such a baby. Here on Earth, when we need help, we actually ask for it rather than dance around the issue like a stubborn ballerina."

"I don't need help!" Maki shouted, crossing her arms and taking a defensive stance. "I'm the one who's here watching over you! Don't pretend that you know anything about me- What?" Their mutual glares had ceased, at least on Nico's end. Instead, she was staring with widened eyes. "What are you doing?"

"You're crying."

"What? No I'm not." Still, she reached up and touched her cheek. It was wet. "I am _not_ crying."

"Then what do you call that?"

"It's... raining." Nico raised an eyebrow as high as she could, gesturing around at the distinct lack of precipitation. "It's... raining on... my face... You know what? I don't need this. I told you I was quitting, and that's what I'm doing. I don't care what you think." Maki turned to make her exit, but Nico quickly reached forward and grabbed her shoulder.

"If you leave like this again, I'm taking that stairway to Heaven and kicking your ass." Nico's expression softened as she watched the tears start to freely fall down Maki's cheeks, as much as she tried to ignore their existence. "Come on, if you can't tell your charge, who can you tell? Certainly not Eli."

"Why does everyone bring up Eli?!" Maki thrusted her arms down and stomped her foot petulantly, only bringing a hand back up to try and wipe away the 'rain'.

"Uh, because you never tell anyone why exactly she makes you so mad?" It was like talking to a child. Then again, Nico had spent years helping to raise her younger siblings. Shouldn't she be good at talking to children? "Let's play a game, Maki."

"A game?" Maki stopped wiping at her eyes, looking more vulnerable than Nico had ever seen her. "Why?"

"Because it'll be good for you. Do you have to question everything?" This wasn't the time to lose her cool, though. Maybe if Maki kept being stubborn. "Anyway, what I'll do is ask you questions, and all you have to do is say yes or no. You don't have to explain anything: all you have to do is say yes or no. How about that?"

There was a moment of silence as Maki tried to decide whether it was worth it to keep fighting, or to try and escape Nico's grasp in order to disappear. Eventually, however, she finally nodded slightly, unable to find a perfect reason to deny her charge this one little game. "Great! Alright, question one: did you dye your hair?"

"What?! No!"

"Kidding, kidding!" Nico laughed at the deadly scowl on Maki's face, holding her hands up to try and placate the angry redhead. "For real though, I want to know what your deal is with Eli. Did she hurt you?" She didn't get an answer at first as Maki forced her eyes to the ground, curling and uncurling her hands into fists. Finally, she nodded slowly.

"Yes..."

"Is it because of Nozomi?"

"N... ... Yes..." Wow, they were actually getting somewhere. Not that this wasn't something that Nico had already assumed was the case, but it meant more coming from Maki's mouth rather than it just being pure speculation.

"Is Eli making you feel less important by spending all of her time with Nozomi?"

"... Ugh, yes. I don't like this game..." It wasn't like Nico was really enjoying 'Nico Nico Therapist' either, but she knew that something needed to be done before Maki finally went off the deep end.

"Well, I'll keep making up these dumb games if it means I can keep you from quitting." Nico finally released Maki from her grip, but the redhead didn't make any move to leave, instead just staring at Nico with wet eyes. "I know you don't want to do it, but if you don't talk to Eli, this will never be fixed. You both will keep miscommunicating and it will continue to affect everyone."

"I know! Ugh, I know." Maki wiped at her eyes again, diverting her gaze from Nico. "I don't know what to say to her, though."

"Just tell her that she's your friend too, and that you don't like how it seems like she's ignoring you. Don't let her interrupt you: just let it all out before you stop yourself." Though they had already gone through a conversation similar to this, and it hadn't solved anything, the gentle nod Maki gave her made Nico feel a bit more hopeful that this would finally be solved.

"I can't believe such calm advice came from someone like you."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Nico stuck her tongue out at Maki's smirk, but the sound of her phone ringing distracted her from her guardian's taunt. "Hello?"

"Nico-chan?" It was Kotori. That was odd, since Nico didn't know of any reason why she'd be calling. Then again, considering what was now binding them all together, it in all likelihood was about guardians.

"What's up, Kotori? Is something wrong with Honoka?"

"Huh? Oh no, Honoka-chan is fine. Actually I, uh, I wanted to... t-to talk to you about Umi-chan."

"Umi?" As the lone member of their little friend circle without a guardian, Umi remained mostly a mystery to her. She didn't know enough about the underclassman to give any pertinent help. "I don't really know her as well as you do."

"I know, I just... I need some advice, and I don't know who else to turn to. C-Can I come over?"

"Advice about... Umi? Uh..." When did she actually become a therapist? She was not qualified for this. "How... How about I come over there? Yeah, it's no problem. I'll be there in a little bit." After she hung up, she noticed Maki giving her a curious look.

"Why does Kotori want advice about Umi?"

"I... think I know why." Nico sighed and started walking away from the alley, gesturing to Maki. "Come on, we'd better get moving." Maki gave one last look at the hospital, then sighed and followed after Nico.

* * *

Nico was prepared for this. The moment she entered Kotori's room, with Maki in her feline form in tow, Kotori wrung her hands nervously as the words slipped off her tongue: "How do I tell Umi-chan I like her?"

"Therapist Nico Nico Nii is at your service, ma'am." This was met with confused silence. "Tough crowd. Anyway, why don't you just tell her you like her?"

"I-I can't just say that!" Kotori acted as if the mere suggestion would automatically entail her failure. "Sh-She's too proper for that: f-for someone like me."

"Oh jeez." Nico shook her head and flopped down on the bed, staring between Kotori and Maki. "It's like a self-conscious fanfest between the two of you. Kotori, do you like Umi?"

"Y-Yes." Kotori gulped nervously, then spoke again with a bit more confidence. "Yes, I like her a lot. She's... really special, and talented, and-"

"Yeah yeah, I'm sure she is." With a shrug, Nico bounced back onto her feet, looking up at Kotori. "Look, if you don't tell Umi how you feel, she'll never know, and you'll regret it when she's at the altar with some businessman from Okinawa and you're sewing a really awkward body pillow."

"Sh-She wouldn't do that!" Kotori protested, but she didn't seem so sure. "W-Would she?"

"That was supposed to encourage you to follow your heart, not be more worried."

"... Wait, I-I wouldn't sew a body pillow!"

"You're missing the point, you know that, right?" Nico sighed and put her hands on her hips. "You need to just tell her how you feel. _Both of you_." Her gaze moved pointedly between Kotori and Maki, who both looked at each other nervously. "Have I made myself clear?"

"Y-Yes, Nico-chan."

"... Yeah."

"Now go talk to them tomorrow, alright? That goes for both of you." Nico turned to leave the room, but she stopped and looked back at them after a thought occurred to her. "Oh yeah, and after that, you can both pay me for the therapist bills." Then she left the room, leaving two very confused friends behind.

"Is... Is she serious?" Kotori tilted her head slightly in confusion, glancing between Maki and the door that Nico had just walked out of.

"... I hope not. I don't carry cash with me."


	25. Chapter 25

**Author's Note:** Well, it's been over two and a half months since the last chapter. I am not very good at updating, huh? It's been so hard to write anything really especially over the past two months. I don't really have a reason for it: I just haven't felt like writing. I'm sorry to all of you for how long it's taken me to update over the last four or five months, and I really want to thank all of you who have stuck with me for this long. It means a lot that there are still people who want to keep reading this until its conclusion, and I only hope that I haven't chased off too many people with the long amounts of time between updates this year. As usual, I hope you all enjoy!

* * *

Well, this was it. Nico had made it very clear: she needed to tell Umi exactly how she felt, or she would regret it for the rest of her life. As it was though, she was already regretting agreeing to say anything, if the noticeable shaking of her legs was any indication. This was the most nerve-wracking thing she ever had to do.

With the decision already planned out in her mind though, she found her feet moving on their own accord towards the archery clubroom, where Umi would surely be practicing, hopefully alone. She would more than likely completely abandon ship if there were others there to potentially listen in on her embarrassing confession.

Standing in front of the door, Kotori hesitated, trying to steady her rapidly-beating heart. This was it: if she admitted her feelings to Umi and they weren't reciprocated, that would officially end their friendship and any chance of her ever stepping foot out of her house again. Well, at least if it went south, there were plenty of arrows around for her to stab herself with.

Slowly the door opened and a visibly nervous bird shuffled in the room, breathing a shaky sigh of relief when she saw that only one person was there. Umi hadn't noticed the new visitor, concentrated solely on hitting the bullseye on her target.

Kotori didn't want to disturb Umi, so she just stood there and watched for a bit, admiring the grace and accuracy that was shown with every shot. There must've been dozens of potential suitors already lined up wanting to earn the privilege of holding the hand of the one and only Sonoda Umi. Who was she kidding? There was no chance in Hell that she was worthier than any of the people she was admittedly making up in her mind.

She stood there so long without a word that, when Umi finally put her bow down and turned to find someone was in the room with her, she nearly jumped in surprise. "Oh! Kotori!" A faint blush accompanied the smile on Umi's face, a byproduct of having been caught off-guard. "I didn't know you were there. I hope I haven't kept you waiting long."

"O-Oh, no! Not at all!" Internally she cringed at the squeakiness of her voice and the unsteady waver that it held. Staring into those piercing, beautiful eyes, beholding the lovely smile that graced her face, Kotori felt any small amount of confidence she had draining from her body. Nico was wrong: she couldn't do this. She wasn't worthy.

"Did you want to say something?"

"H-Huh?" How did she know? Was it that obvious? She could already feel her face starting to burn up, and regret was filling up every space of her mind. This had been a terrible, horrible mistake.

"You look troubled." A slight frown crossed Umi's expression as she set her bow down and walked towards Kotori, who immediately jumped at realizing what was happening. "Is there anything I can do?"

"N-Nope! Everything's fine!" There was no way that anything about her screamed 'I'm fine', but all her nerve had vanished, replaced with self-doubt and fear. The same words were echoing in her mind over and over: 'I'm not worthy.'

Umi placed her hand reassuringly on Kotori's shoulder, wanting to inquire further on what was going on. The mere touch made Kotori jump again though, nearly knocking her off of her feet as she backed up further. "Kotori...?"

"I-I gotta go! I-I'm sorry!" Trying not to look at the shocked expression on Umi's face, Kotori whirled around and ran out of the room blindly as tears streamed down her face. She had failed: she wasn't worthy to behold someone as perfect as Umi. It wasn't right of her to desire such a thing in the first place.

She bumped into someone as she was running down the halls, mumbling a weak apology as she kept going, past the front doors, until she fell to her knees beneath a nearby tree, unable to stop herself from crying like a weak, miserable child. Gods, what was wrong with her? Covering her face with her hands, she wept until there were no more tears left to weep.

Meanwhile, a heavy sigh came from the person whom Kotori had bumped into. Shaking her head and staring at where Kotori had ran off to, Nico turned around and walked towards the archery room. Being a therapist wasn't worth the money she wasn't getting paid.

* * *

Umi was still standing where Kotori had left her when Nico walked into the room, barely registering that someone else had entered. When she finally realized Nico was there, all she could do was mutter quietly: "I... don't understand."

"I guess I expected a bit too much." Sighing again, Nico went over to Umi and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Look, I don't think we need to beat around the bush anymore. Kotori likes you, okay?"

"I know." Umi's response caught Nico off guard, making her next words somewhat faltered.

"You... know?"

"Well yes, of course. We are friends after all." _'Oh.'_ Should she have expected any less? Apparently Umi was just as dense as Maki. Maybe they should form a group together.

"Umi, no, not like that. She has a crush on you."

"A... Wait, a crush?"

"Yes, a big ol' crush."

"A crush?!"

"... Yes." Why was she the one who needed a guardian again? She was clearly the most responsible one of this ragtag group. Umi seemed rather shaken, as if this wasn't a scenario she could possibly comprehend. "Look, I'm not going to say you have to go sweep her off her feet or anything. Could you just go talk to her though- Hey! Where are you going?!"

Umi was already running out of the room, with Nico now in hot pursuit. Why was everyone deciding to run today? "I have to catch Kotori!" Umi called out in response, her long strides quickly leaving Nico in the dust.

"You don't even know where she's going! Wait up!"

* * *

With Nico having gone off somewhere - 'bird watching', she had said, though Maki didn't truly believe that she had any interest in ornithology - Nozomi took it upon herself to bring both Maki and Eli with her to the shrine. It was an incredibly awkward walk there, at least for Maki. She hadn't said a single word to Eli since her outburst days ago, and she still hadn't made up her mind on what to say to break that silence. Nico was adamant on her talking to Eli again though, so she had to say something, but what?

When they reached the shrine, Maki was sure that Eli would immediately flock to Nozomi, rubbing against her legs and making that sickeningly-sweet purring noise she always made around the house. Not willing to be the third wheel again, she was ready to threw Nico's advice out the window and just leave: neither of them would notice anyway. It was then that she realized something: Eli was looking at her.

This fact caught Maki off guard, but at the same time, she was able to realize fully that Eli was actually paying attention to her instead of Nozomi. She could hear Nico's grating voice in her mind, telling her to take this chance before it vanished. Without thinking about it, the words came tumbling from her mouth: "C-Can we talk?"

Eli's eyes widened, as if she couldn't believe that Maki was actually suggesting they talk, after days of the silent treatment. With a hasty nod, she turned and meowed towards Nozomi, "Nozomi, Maki and I are going to go talk." Nozomi turned and nodded, smiling as she waved before watching the two of them vanish. Good thing no one else was there, or there would've been a lot of questions.

Once out of the potential public eye, both of them returned to their human forms. Well, now it was time for them to talk. Suddenly, Maki no longer felt ready. It wasn't like she had been ready in the first place, but she was certainly not ready now. What in the world had she been thinking?

"We don't have to talk right away," Eli offered, smiling softly as she gestured in the direction of the table they usually all sat at. "Why don't we go sit down first?" Maki felt a touch of relief at having some more time to think things over, merely nodding gratefully as she followed Eli to their table. By the time they both sat down, she had decided that it was best to just let herself talk without thinking. Thinking too much would just let her emotionally-compromised brain get in the way.

"I'm... I'm sorry for yelling at you. I'm sorry for ignoring you." The words seemed to come easier when she didn't let herself stop and get caught up in the embarrassment of admitting that she was wrong. Once she started though, she found herself unable to stop, going much farther than she had anticipated.

"It hurt though. You... You were my friend, and then you were always with Nozomi, and it was like you didn't care that I was even there!" Tears started to roll down her cheeks, but Maki was hardly aware of them. "A-And I know you're Nozomi's guardian, I know that! But you risked our secret, and you... you only care about... h-her..."

She was running out of steam fast. Her argument for all of Eli's wrongdoings was coming down to one big mistake and a simmering case of jealously. She had even said to herself once that Eli was allowed to have other friends, but suddenly Nozomi was taking up all of her time, and all rational thought had just vanished. Now she just felt stupid.

All those wasted days of silence, just because she couldn't handle being ignored. Instead of talking about it like a normal person, she had chosen to get pissy and do the ignoring instead. It hadn't made her happy though: it had just made her more miserable. Letting out a choked sob, she covered her face with her hands and cried into her palms, unaware that Eli had gotten up until a pair of arms was wrapped around her, pulling her into a tight hug.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I-I'm-" Her rapid-fire apologies were cut off by another loud sob, making no motions to resist Eli's hug. Instead she leaned into it, feeling her memories transported back to a time when she would never allow contact like this, but still, she felt secure being near Eli back then. It was a time where she was slowly gaining the confidence to meet other people, to learn about her surroundings and try to get a grip on her circumstances. After all those years, she had decided to ruin everything by being stubborn and not understanding. She felt absolutely wretched.

"It's okay, Maki. It's okay." Eli murmured reassuringly, holding Maki tightly until her sobs began to subside. Once they did, she gently moved Maki's hands so she could wipe away the tears. Relief and worry flashed in her own eyes: relief over Maki finally opening up fully to her, but worried because no one wanted to see their friends cry.

"It's not okay!" Realizing that she had startled Eli with another one of her outbursts, Maki quieted down, her voice barely rising above a whisper. "I messed everything up..."

"That doesn't mean it can't be fixed." After all the turmoil that had befallen them over the last few weeks, Eli was not going to let this opportunity to finally reconcile get away. "We're always going to be friends, Maki. No one will ever change that, I promise."

"R-Really?" Maki looked up at Eli, wiping at her eyes.

"I promise." After everything that had happened, she felt reassured that what Eli was saying was the truth. She smiled slightly before returning Eli's hug, hiding her face against the blonde's shoulder as she began to cry again. This time though, they were tears of relief. She truly could believe that things could go back to the way they had been, and she would be friends with Eli like before.

Maybe Nico's advice wasn't _that_ bad.

* * *

 **Author's Note 2:** Finally, after so many chapters, it looks like the EliMaki angst has been resolved, and they're friends again. Opening up always helps, Mack. But Kotori flew the coop. Can Umi catch her and end another section of angst? And will Maki be able to apologize to Nozomi as well? When was the last time Rin and Hanayo were in a chapter? Find out next time! Possibly!


	26. Chapter 26

"So it's up to me, then?" Umi was sitting next to Nico on a bench outside of the school, looking out past the grounds. This had been a whirlwind day, and all in such a short time. Only now was she understanding what to do. She wasn't sure if she was prepared for it, though.

"Seems like it." Nico sighed and leaned back, wondering how the hell she had gotten into this situation in the first place. If she hadn't been such a prideful loner, she might've already had friends, and there would be no need for the Gods to take unneeded pity on her and give her a guardian. Then again, that would've meant she never would've met Maki...

"I don't know if I can do it." Umi's words broke Nico's reverie. For someone who seemed to exude such confidence, they didn't seem so confident now. "I'm nothing special. I think Kotori would be better off-"

"Okay, I'mma stop you right there." This was starting to really frustrate Nico. Was it really her destiny to be the voice of reason to a bunch of self-pitying, emotionally unstable students? Not to mention her own guardian. This was not the job of an idol. "Listen up! Kotori really, really likes you. Way too much in my opinion, but she does. Now you can be all self-pitying, or you can show that confidence that she likes in you and go talk to her. The choice is yours."

They lapsed into silence for a few moments, Umi lost in thought while Nico thought about the order of her favorite idol groups. She had reached number fifteen when Umi spoke up again. "You're right."

"Of course I am- Wait what?"

"You're right, Nico. I cannot sit here and feel like this when Kotori needs me. Please help me find her." Well, that was much better. Nico breathed a sigh of relief, glad she didn't have to do any more convincing. Now they just needed to find Kotori.

"How about we try her house first?" With a nod, Umi stood up, and the two of them headed towards Kotori's house. There wasn't much to talk about, so they mostly stayed silent on their journey. When they got there, Umi knocked, and the door opened, but it wasn't Kotori.

"Umi, Nico, what a pleasant surprise." Principal Minami stood in the doorway, smiling at the two of them. "If you two are looking for Kotori, she's currently at the park." So that's where she was. They thanked the principal before heading off towards the park.

"So what are you gonna say to her?" It wasn't really Nico's business, but she was curious. What Umi was going to say could be the difference between happily ever after and having to consoling her crying junior for weeks on end. One of those was more preferable.

"I'm not sure yet," Umi admitted, eyes focused on the sight of the park just ahead of them. "I think it would be best to just speak the truth." Nico wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. She'd just have to wait and see.

After some fruitless searching, they eventually found Kotori sitting on a bench, throwing bread crumbs at a couple ducks that had waddled by. When they got closer, they could see Honoka in her canine form next to her, a look of concern clear on her face. "Kotori!" The girl in question was startled when she heard Umi's voice, whipping around and dropping the rest of her bread, which the ducks raced in to try and claim.

"U-Umi-chan?! Wh-What are you doing here?" While the two of them began to hash things out, Nico moved out of the way, watching as Honoka jumped off the bench to scare off the ducks, bending down to try and pick up the bread with her mouth.

"Don't even think about it, mutt." Honoka whined at Nico, only to yelp as Nico came over and grabbed her by the scruff, dragging her away. "Let the lovebirds talk."

"Why did you run away, Kotori?" Umi suspected that she knew the answer now, but she wanted to hear it from Kotori herself.

"I-I..." Kotori bit her lip, casting her eyes downward. She didn't want to admit what she hadn't been able to admit in the first place. It would show just what a coward she truly was.

"Is it because you hold feelings for me?" Eyes widening, Kotori raised her head, looking at Umi with a mixture of shock and fear. Of course Umi would be able to discern how she felt, though: the girl was perfect in every way.

The lack of an answer basically confirmed Umi's statement, and she gave Kotori a reassuring smile. "I hope I'm not making you uncomfortable. Just know that you can tell me anything." Kotori thought about that, specifically the one thing she absolutely _couldn't_ reveal: her guardian. Could she reveal the rest though? Umi was giving her that opportunity, and her smile was so... warm.

"I... like you." It took her a decent amount of effort to get those words out, but they were out there for the world to hear. Well, for the four of them to hear. "I really really like you! You're so talented and smart and amazing and good looking." Wait, did she actually say that last one out loud?

A blush crossed her face, but it was easily matched by the one Umi was sporting. "Heh, I wouldn't go that far." Umi rubbed the back of her neck, laughing with slight embarrassment. Her tone became more serious as she continued on, knowing she needed what she said next to be without room for misinterpretation.

"I like you too, Kotori, but I feel that you're looking for something that I'm not ready for yet. That doesn't mean it's not something that could happen in the future though. I still want to be friends with you, and maybe someday we could be something more. I just don't want to get your hopes up and dash them so cruelly."

Umi watched Kotori's face closely, waiting for a reaction. Did her words make sense, or were they too blunt? On her end, Kotori seemed to be trying to process what she'd been told, but finally she returned Umi's smile, allowing Umi to breathe a sigh of relief. "I understand, Umi-chan. I'm glad that we're still friends! You're the most meaningful connection I've ever made with a person." She could hear a growl from behind her. "With a _person_."

Nico also got to sigh with relief as the two reconciled with a hug, glad that this latest crisis was averted. For now, everything seemed okay between Kotori and Umi, not to mention between Eli and Maki. Maybe that meant she could actually go a day without something crazy happening. She'd toast to that.

* * *

"You really like idols, don'tchu Kayo-chin?" Pulling herself up by her paws, Rin scrambled onto the desk to watch the three girls in cute outfits dancing on the computer screen. Hanayo had told her this group was A-Rise, the most popular school idol group in all of Japan. Personally, Rin thought it was too cutesy and poppy, but if Hanayo liked it - and she did - then she wouldn't make too much of a fuss.

"They're amazing!" Hanayo gushed, not taking her eyes off the screen. She loved all idols in their own special ways, but there was always something special about A-Rise. Maybe it was because they were close in age, and their stardom gave her confidence whenever she watched it. It would always drain away by the time she was at school the next day, but while she was watching them perform, she felt like maybe she too could do anything.

Rin glanced between the screen and Hanayo, then back and forth again. "Why don't you be an idol then, Kayo-chin?"

"M-Me?!" Hanayo was so shocked at that statement, she had to pause the video to be appropriately surprised. "I-I couldn't! I-I don't have the looks... o-or the talent..."

"Kayo-chin is super pretty!" Rin still didn't agree with any of the downcast thoughts Hanayo had about herself, and she would never stop extolling her charge's good points. "You've got a great voice and you're eager to learn and you have passion, nya! You love this idol stuff. I think you'd be a great idol!"

Hanayo's cheeks turned a cute shade of pink as she tried to dissuade Rin from complimenting her, all the no avail. "R-Rin-chan, d-don't say that! I-It's not true-"

"But it is, nya!" Suddenly, Rin hopped off the desk and ran towards the bed, climbing on top of it and clapping her paws together. "I wanna see you sing for me, Kayo-chin!"

"S-Sing?!" Hanayo gulped nervously, knowing what a huge disappointment it would be for anyone to hear her sing. "I-I couldn't, R-Rin-"

"Pleeeease, nyaaa?" How could she say no to a cat smiling at her? Curse her weakness for adorable animals. Standing up, she slowly walked over to one of her drawers and fished beneath the clothes inside, pulling out a worn-looking notebook. It was in there that she had written down various idol ideas. Whether they were song lyrics or outfit sketches, it was where all her idol dreams lived and were never shown the light of day.

Looking through the pages, she glanced up to see Rin bouncing on the bed in excitement. Gods, this was going to be horribly embarrassing. Could a guardian abandon their charge over bad singing? She should've asked beforehand. Finally, she decided on her most complete work and made her way to the center of her room.

Despite her only audience being a cat, it still made her nervous. In a worst case scenario, a tornado would blow through the streets and tear the roof off of her house. Then a large megaphone would be deposited into her room by said tornado, amplifying her voice to the surrounding area. Everybody would cringe in horror. A-Rise, who would be walking down the street at the time, would laugh at her for her incompetence. Total disaster.

She had to shake off that impossibly-worst cast scenario, or otherwise she'd be paralyzed in her own room, dreading something that was completely unrealistic. Her eyes turned to the paper held in her hand, and with one last glance at Rin - who gave her a big, catty smile - she began to sing. Her voice was shaky at first, but as she kept going, it became stronger.

 _"My heart beats faster when I think about you. I'm burning up!"_ Rin stopped bouncing as Hanayo begun to sing, captivated by the voice that came from such shy lips. Even when it was shaking, there was beauty evident in the words, in her voice. It mesmerized Rin.

 _"'You seem more tired than usual,' I quietly say from behind you. Can't you hear me? My heart is speaking to you. Even though we're in the same classroom, you're too far away."_ As her voice grew stronger, Hanayo's melody drew Rin in, making her feel every emotion pouring from each lyric.

 _"This is my lonely heaven. Painful yet affectionate. My heart beats faster when I think about you. I can't stop this burning passion! This passionate heaven."_ When Hanayo finished, she was surprised to find that Rin wasn't bursting with energy anymore. She was just staring with wide eyes, her short stump of a tail stilled. "R-Rin-chan? A-Are you okay?"

"Th-That... That was... _amazing_ , Kayo-chin!" In the blink of an eye, Rin transformed back into a human and jumped off the bed, pouncing on Hanayo and tackling her to the ground. Hanayo squeaked in shock, her notebook falling safely to the floor as she found herself looking up at two sparkling chartreuse eyes. "You have an incredible voice, nya! You'd make a wonderful idol!"

"I-I don't know, Rin-chan." Hanayo felt her face growing hot, though whether it was from being complimented or having Rin start to nuzzle her cheek, she wasn't sure. Still, at some point she had felt a surge of normalcy, like singing to someone wasn't that big of a deal. It wasn't full blown confidence or anything, but it certainly was something.

Smiling despite herself, she stroked Rin's back, laughing as her guardian purred delightedly. "M-Maybe I can just be your idol for now."

"Yay Kayo-chin!"

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Looks like Kotori and Umi are going to be okay. What a relief for Nico! Is this the first chapter that ends with everybody in a good mood? That's something, probably. We'll see how long that lasts, at least.


	27. Chapter 27

Nico tapped her pencil against her desk, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. To any of the other students, it seemed like she was paying attention to the lesson. In reality though, school was the furthest thing from her mind. Something much more important was taking up her time, and with a deepening frown she crossed out a line she had written on a piece of paper.

She thought about it up until the bell rang, but she had little to show for it. As everyone else stood up to head for lunch, she lagged behind, looking over what she had written. With most of it crossed out, all that was left were a couple doodles and the word 'rice'. Sighing, Nico stood up and crumpled the piece of paper into a ball. Why did thinking of gifts have to be so difficult?

* * *

"You seem distracted, Nicocchi." Nico and Nozomi were sitting together for lunch, but Nico had hardly touched her food. She was still thinking about gifts and barely registered that Nozomi was talking. Blinking in confusion, she looked up towards Nozomi, tilting her head slightly.

"Huh? Did you say something?"

"I guess that answers my question." Nozomi chuckled, patting Nico on the shoulder. "What are you thinking about?"

"None of your business," Nico huffed, trying to pull herself back to reality. She didn't want Nozomi to know that she had no idea what gift to get for her... but maybe she could help with the others. Her knowledge of what to give her other new friends was equally nil. "... Okay, maybe you can help."

"Oh? With what?" Curious, Nozomi leaned in to listen.

"Well, you know that Christmas is coming up."

"So it is." Nozomi smiled. The snow had already begun to fall, coating the world in its purity. Christmas was indeed not far off, which meant that the season of celebration was already upon them. It was strange though: the holidays hadn't meant anything to her for a couple years now. Not since her sort of friendship with Nico originally ended and her parents left. There had been no one to celebrate with.

Holidays hadn't brought her good tidings lately. It wasn't fun to know everybody would be having a good time with friends and family while she was forced to stay at home alone. Now it would be different, though. She had Nico's family plus actual, honest-to-the-Gods friends. This would actually be a Christmas worth celebrating.

"But now I gotta get gifts for more people, and I don't know what to get them. Any ideas?"

"You don't have any ideas, Nicocchi?" She covered her mouth in mock surprise, barely hiding her grin. "Not even for lil' ol' me?"

"I-I didn't say that!" Even if it _was_ true - which it was - Nozomi didn't need to know that. "Just for Hanayo, Kotori, and Umi, you know? I totally know what I'm gonna get you."

"Really?" Nozomi grinned and leaned in even closer. "And what, pray tell, might that be?"

"It's... a surprise. I can't tell you before you open it."

"... Well Nicocchi, it looks like you win this round." Oh thank the Gods. Nico internally sighed with relief. "So do you have any ideas for the others?"

"Well, Hanayo really likes idols, but I already gave her my idol stuff when we first met." She tapped her chin in thought. "Maybe that counts as an early present."

"It doesn't."

"I'm sure she wouldn't mind-" Nozomi was giving her a very serious stare. "... Ahh, alright alright. I'll think of something else." She had hoped that Nozomi would make this easier, not harder.

"Umi-chan likes archery."

"But she already has a bow."

"And Kotori-chan likes-"

"Umi," Nico deadpanned. That got a laugh out of both of them. "Hmm... I don't know if I have enough money to buy gifts for eight people, though."

Nozomi sighed. "I definitely don't." They both had a part-time job, but Nozomi had to spend a lot of to pay her way after moving in with the Yazawas. As for Nico, a lot of _her_ money went into the family funds. They needed all the help they could get: she was just doing her part to keep the bills paid and all. They both frowned as the bell rang. This was going to be a big roadblock.

"Shoot."

* * *

"Ohh, what should I get Umi-chan?" It seemed that Nico wasn't the only person trying to think of a good gift. Kotori was pacing back and forth around her room, trying to kickstart her brain into coming up with a good idea. With her mom staying late over at the school, she had invited Hanayo over for company, and where she went Rin was sure to follow.

Both Rin and Honoka had reverted back to their normal forms, with Rin sitting next to Hanayo on the bed and Honoka laying on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. "Well, she likes archery, right?" Hanayo mused, watching with slight concern as Kotori worked herself into a pacing frenzy. "Maybe she'd like a... a..."

"An arrow!" Rin chimed in helpfully, but her response was met with silence. "Nya... No good?"

"I think she needs more than one arrow, Rin-chan." Hanayo rubbed Rin's shoulder, giving her a sympathetic smile.

"Then a quiver of arrows," Honoka offered.

"She's got plenty of those." Kotori frowned, finally stopping her pacing. Still, her foot tapped rapidly on the floor as she continued to think hard on the subject, staring off into nothing. "I wish I could make her an outfit, but I don't know what her measurements are."

"Just ask her!" Rin smiled as if it was the easiest solution in the world. "Then you'd know, right?"

"Y-You can't just ask someone their measurements, Rin-chan." The very thought drew a blush to Hanayo's cheeks.

"And she'd know what I was getting her if I asked." It didn't seem like Kotori was as concerned with Hanayo's reasoning. However, something must have clicked in her head, as a smile grew on her face. "I know! I don't need her measurements to knit her a scarf. It'd be weather-appropriate too."

"That's a great idea!" Hanayo smiled right back, glad that something had come out of their brainstorming. It was at that point that Honoka finally lifted her head, as if coming out of a long slumber.

"What about the rest of your friends?" Everybody else froze, realizing just what Honoka was talking about. Kotori and Hanayo looked at each other, both eventually smiling sheepishly. It would appear that they needed to keep brainstorming.

"S-So what are _your_ measurements, Hanayo-chan?"

* * *

"So what are you going to get Kotori-chan, Honoka-chan?" It was the middle of the night, but that was of little concern to a certain group of guardians. Rin was on the edge of her seat, excitedly looking at a clearly-confused Honoka.

"Huh? For what, Rin-chan?"

"For Christmas, silly!"

"Uh, Rin..." Eli tried to interject with the voice of reason, smiling awkwardly. "We're not supposed to give gifts to our charges, you know."

"Aww, but why not?" Rin pouted, shooting Eli her best puppy-dog eyes. "They're more than just our charges: they're our friends!"

"Don't get so attached, Rin," Maki interjected, rolling her eyes. "Besides, where would you get a gift anyway?"

"I'll borrow it."

"No!" both Eli and Maki shouted. That sounded suspiciously like stealing. Eli rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on. Luckily, Honoka started up a conversation with Rin, giving her a break. She could feel Maki staring at her, though. "Maki? Is something wrong?" She hoped it wasn't something major. After all the pain and effort it had taken to get Maki back on speaking terms with her, the last thing she wanted was for their friendship to fracture again.

"No," she answered instantly, but the frown on her face said otherwise. "It's just... You can feel that thing are getting better, right? With our charges?"

"Well, they've become good friends, and it does seem that they're getting happier." Eli smiled fondly, thinking about Nozomi. "Seeing Nozomi smiling again gives me this wonderful feeling..." She clammed up instantly, realizing what she was saying, and who she was saying it in front of. "I mean, I-"

"Don't worry about it." Maki dismissed her concerns with a wave of her hand. "I understand how you feel. Still though, you know what it means when they're getting better, right?"

"I don-" Oh. _Oh_. She suddenly got what Maki was referring to, and it gave her a very uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Right..." They all had been having so much fun together. Were any of them really ready for it all to end?

* * *

"Do you really think we'll find something in here?" The next day, the hunt for gifts was on. Hanayo looked up at the glowing neon sign, inviting the two of them into a nearby costume store. "It's a bit late for Halloween, isn't it?"

"Nozomi and Kotori are kinda eccentric, aren't they? I'm sure there's something in here." Nico went through the automatic doors, leaving Hanayo little choice but to follow her inside.

Up and down the aisles the two of them went, looking for something that could really stand out while simultaneously being not all that expensive. Nico eventually wandered into an aisle where they were trying to sell off any leftover Halloween items, though they were all kinds of lame. She didn't really think Nozomi would be all that interested in an eyepatch or some 1920s gangster-era tommy gun.

She then happened upon a strange-looking sphere. Apparently it was supposed to be a crystal ball, but touching it invoked lightning inside of the sphere if it was plugged in. That seemed very Nozomi-like, so she grabbed it and went to find Hanayo.

When she found Hanayo, she was awkwardly holding some kind of bird in her hands. "I-It's a talking parrot," she explained, holding it out to Nico. "I-If you say something, you can record it and it'll repeat what you said." She then pressed a button on the faux-wood base it was standing on.

"What?" Nico just stared at it in confusion, until she jumped when it talked back to her. _"What?"_ "Woah..."

"I-I know Kotori-chan likes birds, s-so maybe she'd like this one?" She seemed really unsure of herself. Maybe she hadn't given a lot of gifts before. Nico gave it another look, then smiled.

"Yeah, I'm sure she'll love it. Let's go buy them, alright?" Hanayo smiled brightly, nodding as they went towards the registers. At least no one could accuse them of forgetting to buy their friends _something_ for the holidays.

* * *

Nozomi had decided to take a walk, burrowing into her jacket against the winter chill. Nico was busy watching over her siblings, so she felt it was best for her to get out of the house for a bit. Eli, as per usual, was walking beside her, fur fluffed up in protest. Apparently she didn't really like the cold all that much.

"Come here, Elicchi." She reached down and picked up Eli, unzipping her jacket so that the cold feline could find some warmth. Zipping it back up, she smiled at the sound of her guardian's warm purr. She kept a hand on the area to make sure Eli didn't fall as she kept walking along the snow-strewn sidewalk.

After her initial worry about gifts, an idea had struck her. It wasn't the greatest idea in the world, but she hoped that it would be something that her new-found friends would enjoy nevertheless. She tried not to let herself get weighed down by negative thoughts of the future. If she really wanted to know whether there was something to worry about, she'd check the cards for guidance.

Having Eli with her also helped calmed her down significantly. Life wasn't without its problems, but having someone there to talk to was nice. On top of that, she now had other friends that cared about her and wanted to be there for her. It was a feeling that she hoped everyone was able to experience.

Looking down at Eli, or rather the spot where she was bundled up away from the cold, she smiled warmly. It was a lot easier for her to feel at peace now than it had before. There was no doubt about it: she really, truly loved Eli.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I actually really like those lightning crystal balls and talking parrots. As usual, I'd like to thank all of you for sticking around while I struggle to get from chapter to chapter. You're all awesome!


	28. Chapter 28

**Author's Note:** I figured this would be out earlier, but my entire Purrfect Partners document (at least chapters 21-28) was deleted, which knocked out everything I'd written for the chapter, and I had to start from scratch.

* * *

"Wake up! C'mon big sis, wake up!" Loud, shrill voices interrupted her dreams. They cut through like a knife, forcing her tired eyes open. At least she wasn't being woken up from a good dream: she had been having that dream again where she was performing her latest idol single in front of a sellout crowd in her underwear. Still, it had to be way too early to be awake.

"Uhnn... What's going on?" Nico blinked tiredly, adjusting her sleepy gaze in the gloom of her room to find her siblings standing excitedly by her bed. She didn't see any sunlight streaming through the slight parting of her curtains. Had the sun even begun to rise yet?

"It's Christmas, big sis!" Cocoro responded a bit too loudly, trying to tug on Nico's pajamas, but quickly abandoned the effort when there was little movement made. "Santa came! C'mon!" They raced out of the room after that, no doubt heading for the living room. Nico stayed in bed, weighing her options. She could try to get more sleep, but in all likelihood it would be interrupted before she was back in her dreams.

With a groan, she decided that she might as well get up, making sure that the effort put into getting out of bed sounded a lot worse than it actually was. She half-expected to hear a dismissive meow, but when she looked around the room, there was no feline form to be seen. It didn't bother her though: Maki would show up when she was ready. A real princess through and through.

As she shambled into the living room, she noticed the colorful lights that lit up the room. The Christmas lights had been turned on, strung around their small but useful tree. Underneath the tree were some mostly-carefully wrapped presents, and standing in front of them with glee clear as day on their faces were her siblings.

Their mother was sitting on the couch, looking tired but still smiling at the sight of her happy children. When she saw Nico make her way in, she waved her over, a visible signal that Nico zombie-shuffled her way towards. She sat down with another exaggerated groan, sitting between her mother and Nozomi, who looked way too awake for this early hour.

"How could you possibly be awake this early in the morning?" Nico grumbled, unwilling to believe that anyone but little kids could be this happy this early in the morning, even if it _was_ Christmas.

"It's the Christmas season, Nicocchi. How can you not be excited?"

"Because I'm a sane human being." Nozomi giggled at that, ignoring Nico's failed attempt at a sour look. She was too tired to care about making proper facial expressions anyway. They sat on the couch in wait, for what Nico was not sure. She didn't even bother to ask, and she was sure she had fallen asleep at least once when a familiar purring reached her ears.

Opening her eyes, she saw two felines making their way towards the couch. Maki and Eli stood at the foot of the couch and waited for Nico and Nozomi to pick them up and let them lay comfortably in their laps. With all of them situated, Cocoro called out, "Alright, we can start handing out presents now!"

"You were waiting for the _cats_ to start opening gifts?" Nico raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Of course!" Cocoro shot back as she and Cocoa started placing presents in front of their proper recipients. "They're part of the family too."

"Right..." Nico glanced down at Maki, and she was positive that there was a big grin on her face. "Wipe that stupid grin off your face," she muttered, which had no effect whatsoever. With that failure, she decided to just scratch her behind the ear, which worked wonderfully.

The presents were officially doled out, and there was even a present each for Maki and Eli. "You bought presents for the cats too?" Nico deadpanned. Sure, she had done the same, but she knew that their pets were actually guardian angels. Not knowing that just made it weird.

"Uh, yeah? Still part of the family." Cocoro sounded so sure about that: so much like Nico, actually. That got Nico to smile. The world could use more Nicos.

With that out of the way, the unwrapping could begin. When it came time for Nozomi to open a present, the first one she reached for was the one Nico had gotten for her. That immediately woke her up, and a feeling of nervousness settled down on her. What if Nozomi didn't like the present? It wasn't like she had much money to buy something fancy, but couldn't she have chosen something better than an out-of-season prop?

Nico bit her lip in worry as she watched Nozomi unwrap the gift. She held the crystal ball in her hands, just staring at it. "You can plug it into the wall," Nico offered unhelpfully. She was sure that she was sweating under the lights of the tree. "I-It's a crystal ball." More knowledge from the great Nico Nii.

Suddenly, Nozomi's face broke out into a wide smile, standing up and heading for the nearest outlet. Eli hopped out of her lap just in time and followed her, with Nico and Maki close behind. At the outlet, Nozomi got down on her knees and plugged it in. The ball lit up with a dark purple glow, and when Nozomi placed her fingertips on it, lightning appeared inside.

"I love it, Nicocchi!" Nozomi looked like a kid with how happy she was just getting lightning to appear in the ball, but seeing her happy made Nico happy too. When Nozomi stood back up, there was a huge smile on her face as she went to hug Nico tightly. "This is the second-best present you've ever given me."

"Huh? Second?" Nico blinked in confusion. She couldn't recall giving another present. "What was the first?"

Pulling back from the hug, Nozomi gestured towards the tree, where the rest of Nico's family were standing around and waiting for them to return. "A family."

Wow. Nico was not prepared for something so wonderfully sappy that morning. She was pretty sure that she was crying after that- Yup, she could feel at least one tear slide down her cheek, and she went back to hugging Nozomi to avoid the chance of showing more tears falling.

"Y-Yeah, I guess the great Nico Nii is a master of presents." Nozomi laughed as the two of them hugged each other tightly. Maybe this was why Nozomi could be happy so early in the morning. She was feeling pretty happy herself now.

* * *

Maki wasn't sure about this gift. Nico hadn't told her what it was: only that it would be a 'surprise'. Well surprise surprise, they were on the train, heading towards who knew where. She wasn't big on surprises. Why couldn't Nico just tell her where they were going?

They got off the train, Maki hidden in Nico's jacket. Apparently this present had to involve no one being aware that there was a cat in the vicinity, leading Maki to believe that wherever they were going, pets were not allowed. Either that, or... "Are you trying to pretend you have a chest, Nico?"

"Don't make me spay you." They kept moving along, with Nico's zipped-up jacket making it impossible to tell where they were. If it was _that_ important that the present was kept a secret, then Maki wouldn't ask about it again. She'd just wait until it was revealed, then act appropriately surprised.

Everything suddenly became quieter, and Maki guessed that they had gone inside a building. Even Nico's footsteps were quieter, as if she was deliberately trying to silence them. Curious...

Nico took several turns, which somewhat disoriented Maki, and then they stopped. She was about to ask what was going on again when the floor shifted and they were clearly moving again. Had they gotten on an elevator? Seriously, where were they going?

It was hard not to speak out, but she had to be reasonable. Even if she didn't care about being surprised, if there were other people in the area, they might wonder why Nico's jacket was talking. That was a risk she could see the others taking, but she wouldn't fall into that trap.

Eventually though, they finally stopped, this time for good. Nico unzipped her jacket and let Maki jump to the ground below. As she looked around her new surroundings, she froze, her paws rooted to the ground. They were in a hospital... _the_ hospital. _Her_ hospital.

"Wh-Why are we here?" Maki stammered, trying to back away from the desk in front of her, but her path was blocked by Nico. There was sympathy in her eyes, but also determination.

"I talked to Eli about what was up with you and this place," Nico admitted. "I wanted to know why you were always coming here all the time."

"I can't believe her!" Maki hissed angrily, her negative feelings about the blonde rising up all over again.

"Woah, hey, hey! Cool your jets!" Nico whispered, looking back towards the door nervously. "Look, don't blame Eli, okay? She cares about you. She just wants you to be happy."

"And _this_ is supposed to make me happy?"

"Yes! Well, no, just... Argh, can you please turn into a human for like five minutes? I hate staring at my feet!" For a moment, she thought Maki wouldn't comply and just disappear on her again. Then she was forced to tilt her head up slightly to meet Maki's narrowed gaze. Okay, this was worse than staring at her feet. Being short sucked.

There was a slight wetness around Maki's eyes, but a quick swipe with her hand dried it up. "Nico, I don't know what Eli told you, but I don't want to be here, okay? I appreciate you wanting to... _surprise_ me, but I would appreciate it more if we just went home."

"Oh no, I'm not giving up that easily." Placing her hands on Maki's shoulders, Nico forced her to turn around and move towards the desk. This forceful nature lasted all of two seconds before Maki planted her feet and resisted, making Nico collide into her back with a grunt. Next time, instead of doing something thoughtful, she was just going to buy a collar.

She changed tactics and grabbed Maki's hand, hoping that it wouldn't vanish into thin air. Next, she reached for a picture frame on the desk, turned away from them. Grabbing it, she held it up to Maki's face. "Just look at this, will you?"

Frowning, Maki took the picture and looked at it, her eyes immediately widening at what was in the frame. It was a picture of her parents... and of her. Obviously it was an older picture, showcased by the discoloring and fading, but there was no doubt it was true: she remembered that moment.

"Wh-Why would this be here? I-It was so long ago." She couldn't tear her eyes away. Was this really real? Surely her parents wouldn't bother keeping this old thing around after so long. Besides, they already had a replacement. What good would keeping her memory around do?

"They haven't forgotten you, Maki." Nico was smiling genuinely at her, not bringing up the tears that were starting to form in the corners of Maki's eyes. "Even if time has passed, you were still an important part of their lives."

"B-But they replaced me!" It wasn't something she could get over so easily. She wasn't foolish: she had seen him wandering these very halls. If she was so important, how could they just replace her?

"Nothing could replace you in their lives." For emphasis, she pointed at the picture again. "They still have this. They still have your memory with them. You're still missed and loved here. You shouldn't forget that." Maki forced Nico to take back the picture as she hid her face in her hands, failing to mask the sounds of her crying. Nico's words were so genuine, but if this was true, then why was she crying?

"Wh-Why did you take me here, Nico? I-I don't understand."

"I wanted to prove to you that you're still cared about! I don't want you coming here constantly and beating yourself up over what you think happened. I hate it!" Shocked at Nico's sudden rise in passion, Maki's crying quieted down as she found herself frozen in shock. "I don't want you to be hurting like this, okay? Jeez, aren't you supposed to be _my_ guardian?"

It really sounded like Nico cared deeply about this. She had gone to all this trouble just to prove that Maki's parents still remembered her. Maybe that's why she was crying: because it was something she needed to hear.

"I... I-I guess I should thank you," she muttered, wiping her eyes. "It... It really means a lot." Unsure of how to express how much it meant outside of stumbling over her words, Maki gave Nico an awkward hug. Apparently Christmas meant the season of Nico actually getting hugs.

As they hugged, Nico remembered something important: something that forced them to cut the hug short. "Ahaha, I'm glad you liked your present, Maki! Now we'd better get going." Grabbing Maki's hand, she began leading them to the door before stopping. "Oh! Uh, you'd better get back in that cat form or whatever."

Maki tilted her head in confusion. "What's the rush?"

"Uh, we may be, uh... might be _technically_ trespassing." Ah... So that was it, huh? Maki sighed and placed her hands on her hips.

"Technically?"

"Okay, _actually_ trespassing. Come on, we gotta go!" Maki could only roll her eyes before transforming back again, allowing Nico to stuff her in her jacket and try to pretend that she was just lost and trying to find her way out. She was glad for the protection of the jacket, since it hid the smile she wasn't able to conceal otherwise. Normally she'd be at least a little mad, but she decided that today she'd let it slide. It was Christmas, after all.


	29. Chapter 29

It was late, and on a school night too, but Kotori couldn't sleep. Normally she'd be able to, but there was a certain canine that had other ideas. "Kotori-chaaan, come onnn!"

"H-Honoka-chan, no!"

"Valentine's Day is in less than a week! You gotta get Umi-chan something really special!"

"She said she wasn't ready!" Kotori hid her downcast expression beneath the covers, wishing that sleep had taken her before this conversation started. It had been over two months since she had practically confessed to Umi, and though the two of them had decided to stay friends until the time was right, it didn't assuage her desires any.

She wanted to be with Umi more than anything. Every day they hung out together made her want to be more than friends even more. Umi had said she wasn't ready then, though. Why would she be ready now? It was too soon to do something so reckless.

"It's the perfect day to try again, though!" Honoka was arguing very passionately for Kotori to make another move. She wasn't blind to her charge's wistful stares whenever Umi wasn't looking. It was obvious being 'just friends' wasn't going to be enough, and she knew that Kotori knew that too. "She's your Umi-dah, isn't she?"

"H-Honoka-chan! Jeez..." A blush warmed her cheeks as she pulled the covers harder over herself. "I... I don't even know what to give her."

"Chocolate. Come on, Kotori-chan, don't psych yourself out!" Honoka jumped on the bed, surprising Kotori when her big dog landed on top of her. "You got this!"

"W-Wait, Honoka-chan!" She yelped as Honoka grabbed the covers with her teeth and yanked them down, Kotori's blush very visible even in the dark. "I-I have school tomorrow! I can't go anywhere right now!"

"But you can think of an idea, right?" Honoka's inspired smile was so sincere, it made Kotori feel like she really could do... whatever she was going to do. "Something to do with chocolate!"

"I-I'll think of it at school, okay?" She responded sheepishly. Honoka didn't seem convinced, though. "I-I promise!" She had to promise again before that satisfied her guardian, who finally let her get some sleep. However, with a whole bunch of new thoughts swimming in her head, sleep did not come easy.

* * *

At school the next day, Kotori sat in class with a pen in her hand, tapping it absently against her cheek. She was trying her best to pay attention to the lecture, but her mind kept drifting off to Umi, and the upcoming Valentine's Day. If she was committed to getting Umi something, what was she going to get? Because plain old chocolates just wouldn't do.

While she would've been blown away if Umi gave her even the simplest store-bought chocolates, that just wasn't good enough for her full-blown crush. No, whatever she got was going to have to be special. What could be special enough for someone as wonderful as Umi, though?

It was in her final class that an idea came to mind. She almost jumped out of her seat in excitement, but luckily she was able to restrain herself. An arrow! Specifically, an arrow made of chocolate. It would fulfill the chocolate requirement, plus it also was a key component of archery, which was a special skill of Umi's.

There was one more part to it, though. As cheesy as it would sound, it could also represent Cupid's arrow that had been shot through her heart ever since she'd first laid eyes on Umi. Now there was only one problem: how would she make it? She could bake chocolate treats, but where in the world was she going to get an arrow mold? Surely no stores sold such a thing.

She was going to need help to figure out what to do: someone who was dependable, smart, and willing to help her with the task. Pulling out her phone, she quickly dialed Nico's number.

* * *

When Nico saw who was calling, she groaned audibly. "Oh jeez..."

"What's wrong, Nicocchi?" Looking up from her homework, Nozomi cast her gaze between Nico and her ringing phone. "Who's calling?"

"It's Kotori. I bet she needs love advice or something." Nico dropped her phone on her bed and groaned. "Why do I have to be everyone's therapist?"

"It's a mystery," Nozomi smirked, hurrying over to grab Nico's phone and answer it before the call went to voicemail. "Kotori-chan! Haha, no, it's Nozomi. Nico-chan's too busy for us lowly mortals." Nico huffed at that, but didn't bother responding. "What's up?"

"I have this idea for Valentine's Day, but I don't know how to make molds."

"Why don't you buy a mold for it?"

"I don't think they sell arrow-shaped molds."

"Oh." Yeah, that sounded like a very specific mold. Wait... An arrow mold? A big grin spread across Nozomi's face. "Are you making a chocolate arrow for Umi-chan?"

"Y-Yes, and it has to be perfect. I'm not sure what to do." Nozomi thought on it for a moment, then snapped her fingers as a simple idea came to mind.

"Okay, better idea. Why don't you just bake a big batch of chocolate, then carve an arrow out of it with a knife?" There was silence on the other end of the line, and then the distinctive sound of Kotori smacking her forehead.

"Why didn't I think of that? Thanks Nozomi-chan!" She sounded genuinely excited, which made Nozomi smile.

"No problem, Kotori-chan. Good luck!" After they hung up, Nozomi turned to Nico with a grin. "See? That wasn't so hard."

"Oh shut up. I'm trying to do my homework."

"Looks like you're playing Tic Tac Toe with yourself." Nico quickly threw herself down to cover up her work.

"Hey! No copying!"

* * *

There was one day left before Valentine's Day. While Kotori was beginning to work with Honoka on her chocolate for Umi – Honoka was not allowed to touch anything – someone else was feeling the pressure of tomorrow. Like Kotori, they decided to call a phone in the Yazawa household.

Nozomi was in the kitchen when her phone rang. Putting down her sandwich, she picked up her phone and looked at who was calling. "Umi-chan?" Why in the world would Umi be calling her? Shrugging to herself, she decided to find out. "Umi-chan!"

"Nozomi? I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"Not at all, not at all! What's up?" There was silence for about ten seconds, giving Nozomi flashbacks to her talk with Kotori a few days ago.

"So Valentine's Day is coming up-"

"Oh? Oh Umi-chan, I'm flattered! You want to give chocolate to little old me?" That was totally worth the embarrassed sputtering she heard from Umi's line.

"I-I think there's been a misunderstanding. N-No offense, of course. You're a very beautiful woman, Nozomi."

"Oh Umi-chan, flattery will get you everywhere." Smirking to herself, she decided to stop teasing. "This is about Kotori-chan, isn't it?"

"Yes, I… I hope she won't think me too forward, but I wanted to bake chocolates for her. For Valentine's Day, you know."

"That's so sweet of you, Umi-chan!" In her mind, Nozomi let out a silent cheer. It sounded like both Kotori and Umi were going to be mighty surprised tomorrow. "I'm sure she'll love them."

"About that…" There was clear hesitation in Umi's voice before she continued. "I… don't know how to make them properly." That sounded like a problem. "I tried to follow the instructions on the box exactly as they were printed, but they ended up burned. I don't understand…"

"Did you make sure to add all your love and compassion into the mix?"

"That wasn't an instruction on the box." Oh lord.

"Umi-chan, please text me your address. I'm coming over to help you. Don't you worry!"

"Alright… Thank you, Nozomi. It means a lot."

"No problem, Umi-chan! I'll be right over!" They hung up, and Nozomi headed for the living room while waiting for the address. Smiling when she saw a familiar blonde-furred feline, she scooped Eli up in her arms and nuzzled against her. "I'm gonna go over to Umi-chan's to help her make chocolate. Wanna come with me, Elicchi?"

Initially Eli jumped at the chance to go anywhere with her charge, but then she paused. As much as she wanted to go, another idea had come to mind. "I'd love to, but... maybe you could take Maki instead?"

"Maki-chan? How come?"

"Well, since we patched things up, it's been a lot better between us guardians." Eli smiled, thinking about how normal things had gotten back at the table. Maki was no longer hiding from all of them, and even the conversations between the two of them were in a happier and healthier state. There was just one last bridge she wanted to rebuild. "I'm really happy that Maki's come back to us, but I don't want there to be any residual negativity between her and you."

"So you want us to spend some time together?" Even though it'd been a couple months since things had been patched up, interactions between herself and Maki had been held to a minimum. It wasn't on purpose, at least not from her end. She had gotten a feeling that Maki felt awkward around her after all that happened though, a sentiment that Nico agreed with. They both had agreed to give her time, but maybe it was time to try something else. "Sure! I'd love to!"

Setting Eli down, the two of them headed for Nico's room, where Maki was sure to be. Nozomi knocked on the door, waiting until Nico told her to come in before opening the door and stepping inside. It was there that she was treated to the sight of Nico posing in a jacket, with a clearly mortified Maki in the hood.

"What do you think, Nozomi? This is chic, right?"

"Carrying around a cat in a hood?" Nozomi mused on it for a moment. "I love it! It's so you!"

"Right?! That's what I was telling grumpy cat over here." Neither Eli nor Maki looked like they agreed with their charges' sentiments, but that wasn't going to stop Nico. For Nozomi, she became distracted by the familiar vibrating of her phone. Looked like Umi's address had come in.

"So I'm gonna head to Umi-chan's house to help her make chocolates. Would you like to come with me, Maki-chan?"

"Hah? Me?" Maki looked between Nozomi and Nico, a feeling of trepidation creeping up at the thought of being third-wheeling again. She no longer felt that intense animosity towards Nozomi anymore, but there were still residual feelings of being left out whenever the thought of tagging along with her and Eli came up. "Are... all of us going?"

"Just you and me." Nozomi gave her a warm smile, which gave Maki a new conundrum to think of. Did she want to go out alone with Nozomi, who she still felt awkward being around, especially after how much of a jealous jerk she'd been? Or did she want to stay with Nico and keep being part of some weird fashion show?

"... Alright, let's go." She jumped out of Nico's hood, nearly getting tangled up in the folds but landing pretty well despite that. Saying goodbye to Nico and Eli, she followed Nozomi as she grabbed a jacket, put it on, and headed out the door.

* * *

Maki shivered in the cold as they walked to Umi's place, trying to decide what, if anything, she should say to Nozomi. She had already apologized, but that didn't feel enough. Had she even been sincere when she said it? Her emotions were in a much calmer state now, and she felt that she could give a better, proper apology. Nozomi spoke before she could, though. "Are you cold, Maki-chan?"

"N-No," she was quick to respond with, embarrassed at how her feline body betrayed her with its occasional shaking.

"Why don't you take shelter in my jacket? I promise it'll keep you warm." Her smile was equally as warm, and Maki felt herself unable to say no, though she couldn't look at Nozomi as she nodded. With her smile widening, Nozomi unzipped her jacket, picked Maki up, and held her in those warm confines. Normally this wouldn't have been allowed. Maki wasn't a big fan of even Nico picking her up, much less someone else, but she felt like she had to swallow her pride if she was going to go the extra mile in her apology.

They walked for a bit in silence, with Maki trying to choose her words and Nozomi not wanting to push conversation on the guardian. Usually this kind of silence wouldn't bother Maki, but considering what had happened, the awkwardness was nearly palatable.

"Nozomi, I… I'm sorry for my behavior before." It probably would've felt less awkward if she had been standing next to Nozomi instead of being bundled up in her jacket.

"It's okay, Maki-chan. I accepted your apology already."

"It wasn't good enough, though!" She didn't want Nozomi to be so forgiving. That just made it too easy for her to let things stay as they were, and it wasn't comfortable. "I really am sorry. I was… mean, and… j-jealous." She hated that word. It didn't sound right when she said it. "I was angry, but it was at myself… and Eli. Okay, I was really mad at Eli too." That got a laugh out of Nozomi, which made her feel somewhat relieved that she wasn't spectacularly failing at her apology. "But I shouldn't have been mad at you, and I wanted you to hear that from me rather than having to guess that I was truly sorry."

"Thank you, Maki-chan. It really means a lot." Maki looked up to see Nozomi smiling down at her, a bit misty-eyed as well. She wrapped her arms around Maki and hugged her tightly. "It really, really does."

"Too tight, too tight!" Nozomi let go of Maki quickly, hurrying out an apology. "No no, it's okay. I'm just… glad that we're okay now." She couldn't remember the last time she had smiled in Nozomi's presence. It felt good to be able to.

* * *

When they reached Umi's house, it was clear that she had been trying to bake for awhile. The box of chocolate mix was in her hand, and luckily it was devoid of chocolate, since she had such a tight grip on it, Nozomi wondered how long it had before it was shredded in half.

"You seem a little tense, Umi-chan." Well that was an obvious observation. Maki wiggled her way out of Nozomi's jacket and hopped down to the ground, getting inside and looking up at Umi.

"What makes you say that?" Her words were hissed through gritted teeth.

"Well, that box in your hand looks like it's seen better days." Umi looked down, as if she hadn't even noticed that there was something there.

"Oh. I did not realize it was there. My apologies." She flung the box across the room, giving Nozomi a forced smile. "Shall we continue into the kitchen?" With a nod, Nozomi shut the door and followed Umi into the kitchen, while Maki went into the living room to fetch the crushed box and bring it back to them.

Surprisingly, considering Umi's tense state, the kitchen looked really clean. A new box of chocolate mix was placed next to a clean bowl, with the rest of the necessary pans and other materials lined up neatly all the way to the edge of the sink. "Huh, I thought this place would be a lot messier."

"After we hung up, I decided to clean up for my next attempt," Umi explained. "It was nice to have something to do." She then looked down, suddenly realizing that there was a cat in the house. "Isn't that Nico's cat?"

"I wanted to let her stretch her legs." For all intents and purposes, that was a lie, but she knew she couldn't outright say that she had been having a moment with an angel disguised as a cat. It was a believable-enough lie though, and Umi merely nodded as she bent down to hesitantly pet 'Princess', who allowed it, much to Nozomi's relief.

"She's so unlike Nico. Very quiet." Nozomi chuckled at that. Apparently Umi _did_ have a sense of humor, albeit a dry one. "I never was allowed to have a pet."

"Really? How come?" Nozomi hadn't considered Umi to be a pet person, but she was surprised that it wasn't by choice.

"My sister was allergic to fur."

"You have a sister?!" She shouldn't have been so surprised at not knowing that tidbit of information. After all, she'd never been to Umi's house or hung out with her one on one until now. It was just that she'd become so deep into the lives of her friends that it seemed strange to suddenly be back to a stage where she didn't know much at all.

"Heh, yes." If Nozomi thought Umi was going to elaborate on that, she was wrong. Instead, Umi moved to the sink and carefully opened the box of chocolate mix. "Shall we begin?"

Though it was tempting, Nozomi decided not to push it immediately. Instead, she turned around and grabbed the now-empty box, looking at the instructions so she could better help with the current cooking conundrum. Since it hadn't gone so well for Umi previously, Nozomi was allowed to do all the overseeing, guiding Umi through each step. She grinned to herself, wondering how Kotori would feel if she heard that she was being allowed to tell Umi what to do.

"So, your family isn't here right now?" Though she knew she shouldn't pry, her damned curiosity got the better of her. She just really wanted to know more about this mysterious sister.

"My mother is upstairs, and father is at work."

"Ah, okay. And your sister?" Umi visibly stiffened at the mention of her sister, but she quickly relaxed herself in the hopes that Nozomi hadn't noticed.

"She hasn't lived her in awhile." That was all Nozomi was going to get, it seemed. She knew when it was time to clam up, so she finally let it go and continued to help Umi with the chocolate until they were put in the oven. After that, they had time to relax in the living room and wait for the finished products.

"The heart shapes are a nice touch." Nozomi grinned at the blush that crossed Umi's face, referencing the heart-shaped mold that they had put the chocolates in.

"They're… They're supposed to be special," Umi admitted, fixating her gaze on the floor, where 'Princess' casually walked into her vision. "I just hope that Kotori will accept them."

"Why wouldn't she?" With the way Kotori talked about Umi sometimes, Nozomi had a feeling that she would be overjoyed if Umi stepped on her face.

"She confessed her affections for me, and I told her I wasn't ready. Ever since then, I've questioned my decision. What if my change of heart is too soon for her?"

"I wouldn't worry too much about that, Umi-chan." Nozomi had to keep herself from laughing at the miscommunication going on. It was going to work out, she was sure of it. "I'm sure she'll be delighted by the chocolates, and your feelings." Umi still didn't seem so sure, though. Apparently Maki could also sense it, since she suddenly jumped on the couch and settled into Umi's lap, surprising both her and Nozomi. Slowly Umi dropped her hand and started to pet her, a soft smile forming on her face as she looked over at Nozomi.

"You're right, Nozomi. I think I'm going to be ready for tomorrow now." By coincide, that was the moment that a ding was heard from the oven: the chocolates were done.

* * *

After finishing up with helping Umi, Nozomi and Maki headed home, with Maki again bundled up in Nozomi's jacket. The awkwardness of the walk to Umi's house was gone on the walk back.

"That was nice of you to do back there. Relaxing Umi-chan and all." Nozomi smiled, scratching behind Maki's ear. "You're really like a cat now, aren't you?"

"I would be more upset about that if your scratching didn't feel so good," Maki muttered, eliciting a giggle from Nozomi. She was always annoyed and self-conscious about how easily she could be pacified by simply scratching behind her left ear, but it felt okay then. With the ice wall that had been put up between the two of them having been thawed out, she was content to allow these things as long as there were good feelings flowing between the two of them.

As soon as Nozomi opened the door, Eli rushed over, looking up expectantly at the two of them. "So how'd it go?" She didn't say exactly which part she was asking about, but as Maki jumped down to the ground and exchanged glances with Nozomi, they knew that either way, the answer was the same. They both then looked at Eli, smiling at the anxious-looking feline.

"It went great. Really great."


	30. Chapter 30

As the calendar turned to Valentine's Day, Kotori was shaking with nerves. No matter how many times Honoka tried to calm her down, she was unable to chase the fear away. All she could think about was Umi rejecting her, and she didn't know how she would recover from that. Though she would've loved to just shove the chocolate arrow into Umi's locker and then immediately run away and hide, she knew that wouldn't solve the problem. With the chocolate safe and secure in her backpack, she sighed as she bid Honoka farewell and headed off for school. What was she going to say to Umi?

As the calendar turned to Valentine's Day, Umi was visibly tense. Despite having a long back-and-forth conversation with Nozomi in which she was reassured multiple times that this was going to work out, she still wasn't a hundred percent confident. All she could think about was Kotori rightly pointing out that she'd changed her mind so quickly, and she didn't know how to properly explain how she felt. This was more than just customary chocolates given to a friend, so she knew that she had to deliver them to Kotori personally, no matter how tempting it was to just put it off indefinitely. With the chocolates safe and secure in her backpack, she sighed and headed off for school. What was she going to say to Kotori?

Making it to school even earlier than usual, Umi decided to take shelter in her usual place: the archery room. With no one around, she decided to shoot a bit to try and calm her nerves. That usually did the trick. However, her arms were shaking more than usual, with 'usual' being never. Every time she notched an arrow in her bow, she'd shoot it wild, sometimes missing the target entirely. She'd never been so off before. Was this what feelings did to a person?

"Umi-chan?" That oh-so-familiar voice made Umi jerk her arms up just as she was about to fire, causing her arrow to get lodged up in the ceiling. That was going to be tough to explain. Trying her best to ignore that, she turned to find Kotori looking at her with worry in her eyes. "I-I didn't mean to startle you."

"I-It's no problem." Well this was horribly embarrassing. Of all things, how did she get startled? So much for being calm under pressure. She was pretty sure that she had never been this nervous, even in her first archery competition. It was amazing what Kotori could apparently do to her. Despite how uncomfortable it made her feel, it only served to further illustrate that Kotori was special, and that she really needed to give her those chocolates.

"S-So, I-" They both stopped mid-sentence, realizing that they were talking simultaneously. Both of them laughed nervously before trying to allow the other person to talk first. It didn't seem like they were getting anywhere, so Umi decided to bite the bullet and be the first to speak. "Uh, Kotori, I... got you something."

"O-Oh? For... For Valentine's Day?" Could it really be true? A small flicker of hope fluttered in Kotori's chest, thinking that anything Umi gave her would be special. Was that why she seemed a bit more... off than usual?

"Yes." Not wanting her tongue to betray her by making her stutter any more words, Umi, went over to her backpack and unzipped it. Carefully she pulled out the chocolates and went over to Kotori, offering them to her. "I... made you some chocolates. I hope you can accept them." She had never felt this awkward in her life. It had been much easier to talk to Kotori before she started to consider that she might have - shameless though it might be - romantic feelings for her friend.

Kotori took the chocolates cautiously, as if she was afraid of dropping them. "You... made these? F-For me?" She was trying her best not to cry. Umi had actually taken the time and effort to make her chocolates on Valentine's Day. That had to mean something, right? It couldn't just be a simple token of friendship. Otherwise, Umi would've just bought her some from the store. That little flicker of hope was growing rapidly as she tried not to just drop the chocolates and hug Umi with no intention of ever letting go.

"Of course." Umi chuckled softly, smiling at her. "There's no one else I'd give chocolates to." Yup, there could be no doubt. This had to be coming from a place that meant more than friendship. It took every ounce of strength for Kotori not to start jumping up and down in a mess of tears and laughter. When Umi had told her that she wasn't ready yet for a relationship, she had figured she might have to wait for months, maybe years. How could she have gotten so lucky that it might not even take a full season?

"Th-Thank you! O-Oh, I also have some for you!" Gently setting down the chocolates, Kotori opened up her backpack and carefully pulled out the chocolate arrow she'd created, offering it to Umi. "I-I shaped it like an arrow, because of your love of archery." Those other coincidental reasonings didn't get mentioned. She didn't want to get too excited and blow it. If she was right, she was so very, very close to becoming entwined with _the_ Sonoda Umi, her long time crush.

"That's... That's really sweet of you." Umi took it and looked it over, smiling so warmly, so genuinely, that Kotori thought she would combust right on the spot. Then she looked up, and Kotori was surprised at the seriousness in her eyes. "Kotori, I have to tell you something." The sudden absence of Umi's smile worried her. Was she wrong about her hunch?

"Wh-What is it?"

"I..." Umi struggled with her words, finding it difficult to admit to her mistake. "I feel that I made a mistake before, when I didn't accept your confession. At the time, I... had no clue what romantic feelings truly felt like." She squirmed slightly under Kotori's wide-eyed gaze. "But, after some time of reflection, I've come to believe that my feelings for you are more than just those of a friend."

"D-Do you really mean it, Umi-chan?" Even with that hunch, she could scarcely believe it. That moment of worry that she had been wrong was gone, replaced by constantly-increasing excitement.

"I do. I... I like you too, and if you could ever forgive me for my prior hesitation, I-" Before she finished, Kotori rushed up and hugged her, nearly squishing the chocolate in the process.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Kotori couldn't stop the tears from flowing now, but they were happy tears, so she didn't mind. "I don't care if you said no before. It just makes me so happy that you like me now." When Umi saw that Kotori was crying, however, she initially got the wrong impression.

"U-Uh, don't cry, Kotori! I-I'm sorry, I-"

"They're happy tears, Umi-chan." Kotori laughed and shook her head, looking into Umi's eyes. "I'm happy, I promise."

"Well that's good." Umi breathed a sigh of relief, smiling as she shifted the chocolate so that she could take one of Kotori's hands in her own. "So you'll... go out with me, then?"

"Absolutely!" Kotori squeezed Umi's hand, filled to the brim with happiness. "Would you like to eat some of our chocolate now, Umi-chan?" Umi glanced at the clock, which revealed that they still did have some time before first period.

"Sure." With matching smiles, they both went over and sat down against a wall, grabbing their chocolate and tasting it. Before Umi could take a bite, however, Kotori picked up the arrow and pretended to shoot it through Umi's heart.

"Love arrow shoot, hehe."

"K-Kotori." That got Umi blushing, though she was pleased with how things had gone. She felt at peace now, like she could go through the rest of the day without any worries. That chocolate arrow did remind her of something, though...

"Hmm..." She looked up at the ceiling, where her last wayward arrow was still stuck. "I'm going to have to get a ladder and bring that one down." With Kotori's cute laugh in her ear, not even having to explain why there was a hole in the ceiling seemed like that bad of a thing. What a perfect day Valentine's Day turned out to be.

* * *

It seemed like everything bad that happened went down at night. She was walking home swiftly, wanting more than anything to pass out in her bed. It had been a long and tiring day, but thankfully it would be over soon.

A loud scream from the opposite street reached her ears and froze her in place. She only hesitated for a second before breaking into a sprint, running besides the wall that separated the two streets. Sleep called for her, but it could wait until after she figured out what was going on.

When she reached the scene of the scream, there was a woman standing there in a panic. Reaching her, the woman stammered out that her jewels had been stolen, and she pointed in the direction of where the thief had gone. Without really thinking about it, she nodded to the woman and raced off in that direction, determined to catch the thief.

She saw a glimpse of someone disappearing into an alleyway, and that's where she headed, making it just in time to see a rather suspicious-looking person clambering up the fire escape. "Hey! Get back here!"

The thief looked down at her, then did the exact opposite, continuing to climb up the fire escape. Gritting her teeth, she leaped and latched onto the bottom ladder, scrambling up as fast as she could. She was going to catch this guy for sure. Once they reached the roof, there would be nowhere for him to go.

He had the lead, but she was able to catch him up on the roof, where he had nowhere left to run. Turning towards her, she could tell that he was nervous. The roof closest to them wasn't close enough to jump to, meaning that she was blocking the only feasible exit. "C'mon man, give it up! Just give me back the jewels you stole."

Instead of answering her, he just snarled and rushed at her. It was only as he got closer did she notice the knife in his hand. Eyes widening, she dodged out of the way, then dodged again when he turned to stab at her once more. She had to keep backing up to avoid getting shanked, but she was able to get an advantage by grabbing onto his arm and forcing the knife away from her.

They tussled over the knife until she was able to force it out of his hand. It clattered down onto the roof, and at that point, she tried to subdue him. He caught her by surprise though, shoving her with his entire body. It set her off balance, and as she tried to regain her footing, he was able to move from out of her grasp and shove again. The roof that had once been beneath her feet was no longer there.

Her eyes widened and the world felt like it was slowing down. She flung out her arms to try and grab onto the roof, but it wasn't anywhere close to her fingers. As she fell, the last thing she saw was the thief watching her, and then he vanished. Then she hit the ground.

Opening her eyes in the gloom of Kotori's room, Honoka took a deep breath as the memory faded into the background of her mind. Sighing, she fiddled with the collar she wore as her charge's faithful pet. She passed it between her hands before looking up at the sleeping form of her charge. Kotori seemed so peaceful while she was asleep. It made Honoka smile to think about how much better her life was becoming, slowly but surely.

When Kotori had come home and giddily talked about her day with Umi, Honoka had been excited too. She could really sense the happiness radiating throughout Kotori, and it made her happy and proud that her charge was making real connections, especially with someone as nice as Umi.

There was a sadness in it too. Though she didn't want to be selfish and believe there to be any negatives to what was happening, it was hard for Honoka to forget that her time there was drawing to a close. She was only supposed to be Kotori's guardian until she could stand on her own, emotionally and mentally. It was becoming clearer that that time was upon them.

She could remember her last night on Earth as a mortal clearly. Ever since then, she'd never regretted what she did. She wanted to help people, even now, and if she could do that, she'd be satisfied. Helping Kotori now made her feel the happiest she'd ever been, at least in a long, long time.

Regardless, she'd also been having the most fun she'd had in a long time down there. She loved being Kotori's guardian so much, it hurt to think about it coming to an end. After the first couple of days following her death, she had refused to let anything bring her down. Now though, she could feel that sadness welling up as she thought about having to leave again.

She didn't want to go.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Looks like Kotori and Umi finally stopped beating around the bush. It was the perfect day to do it. Plus, Honoka finally got her death scene, which just leaves Rin out of the guardians. However, I'm not sure if that'll be in the main story. The reason for that is I'm not sure that it fits, because unless some new idea comes to mind, chapter 31 will be the final chapter. It seems crazy that I can actually see the end in sight, but with that means it just wouldn't fit to have Rin's death sequence in that chapter. However, I have plans to continue with this story after the final chapter, similar to my plans for An Extreme Kind of Love. Rin's death sequence will be one thing I have planned for post-fic content, plus another idea I have that I won't spoil at present. So, for now, next time: the grand finale! Will the charges be able to let their guardians go? Will the guardians be able to make themselves leave? Stay tuned!


	31. Chapter 31

**Author's Note:** Just a quick response to the ch. 30 guest: That's the Nishikinos' son. So he'd be Maki's younger brother.

* * *

"Well, what do you think?" Eli and Maki were sitting together, watching their charges interact in Nico's living room. They were talking and laughing, actual smiles on their faces. There had been more of that lately, and while it made the two of them happy to see it, there was also a rumbling of sadness in the background. Maki glanced at Eli, knowing that she didn't need her to say the truth. Both of them knew it already.

"They look happy." She smiled slightly. "A lot better than when we first went down there." It was true: all four of their charges looked to be happier. Though it had been a long, tough road, things were really starting to look better. Of course, that meant something else would have to happen. The thought quickly dashed Maki's smile. "It feels like time went by so quickly."

"Well, time doesn't really apply to us." Eli chuckled softly, but stopped when she saw that Maki wasn't laughing. "We all knew this was going to happen. Something you made sure to remind us of."

"Yeah, I know." Maki nodded, leaning back on her palms and staring up at the endless sky. "I just didn't think it would be this hard, you know?"

"I know what you mean." Eli had been prepared for being a guardian longer than any of them, yet it pained her way more than she expected. Of course, she hadn't expected to break multiple rules. She hadn't expected to gain feelings for her charge. It happened though, and she couldn't take it back, nor could she stop it. Her thoughts were constantly consumed by Nozomi, and the thought of having to leave broke her heart.

"We'll have to make sure Rin and Honoka understand once they get back here." That was easier said than done. They had all grown attached to their charges, but both of them knew that Rin and Honoka would be more outwardly affected. All of the former guardians that Eli had spoken to said it got easier the more times one did it, but she wasn't sure that she wanted to go through the heartache again.

Indeed, when Rin and Honoka came back, they weren't happy to hear the news. Of course, both of them weren't completely unaware: they'd noticed how much better their charges had been doing compared to the start. Honoka had a theory about that.

"Ya know, I think they all became happier quicker because we all brought them together." Grinning, she leaned in towards Maki. "So I guess revealing ourselves worked out after all." Maki scowled at that, while Eli blushed and pretend to be very interested in a nearby wall. "I'm gonna miss Kotori-chan, though."

"Yeah..." Rin sniffled next to Honoka, tears starting to fall down her cheeks. "I-I'm gonna m-miss Kayo-chiiin!" They all looked at Rin in surprise, with Eli moving over to embrace her in a tight hug. She didn't resist, leaning into Eli and crying on her shoulder. "W-We've only just met, a-and I don't wanna leave!"

"I know, Rin. None of us want to." She held Rin tightly, soothingly stroking her back while she cried. "But we've done what we went down there to do. We made them happier, and you did an amazing job with Hanayo."

"R-Really?" Rin looked up at Eli, rubbing at her eyes with her arm.

"Yes, you did." Smiling, Eli looked at Honoka and Maki. "All of you did. You were amazing first time guardians. Despite some, uh... missteps..." She glanced up awkwardly. "... you all did a great job. Hanayo, Kotori, and Nico will all be just fine thanks to you three." That brought a smile to all of their faces. Maki placed a hand on Eli's shoulder, smiling earnestly at her.

"Nozomi will be just fine too. She couldn't have had a better guardian." Maki's words meant a lot, especially after all that had happened. She kept smiling, but it was becoming more of an act to keep everyone feeling a little bit better. After all, she wasn't immune to those feelings of sadness that they were feeling. She had been so happy with Nozomi, spending those months together, at times forgetting the troubles that were weighing on Nozomi's mind. More than anything, she was happy that Nozomi and Nico had met. Those two were going to help each other out a lot. So were Kotori and Hanayo, and even Umi, as unaware as she was of what was going on with her new friends. Maybe Honoka was right: her accidental reveal did set off a chain of events that brought them all together, and they did seem to be better for it.

She couldn't help but feel sad, though. Though she didn't want to show it in front of the others, she wasn't sure what she would do without Nozomi by her side.

* * *

Nico was still sleeping when she felt something hitting her face. Groaning, she blinked open her eyes to find a familiar paw pressed against her face. "Maki? The hell?"

"Get up, Nico. We have to go."

"Go? Go where?" Maki didn't answer her, looking somewhat awkward as she jumped down from the bed and ignored the question.

"Just come on." She stood in front of the door, waiting for Nico to get up and open it. Grumbling, Nico wanted to argue more about it - especially about being woken up - but she instead got up and opened the door. Right outside were Nozomi and Eli.

"Are we having a party or something?" Nico looked from one of them to the next, trying to figure out why they were gathered there... and where they were going to be going.

"Not quite..." Eli looked rather sheepish for a cat, but Maki continued to ignore Nico's questions and headed for the front door. Shooting one last look up at Nozomi, Eli followed her. Nico and Nozomi looked at each other, having to decide whether or not they were going to follow their guardians. With a shrug shared between them, they headed for the door.

With Eli and Maki taking the lead, it looked like Nico and Nozomi were walking their cats... or following two strays like odd animal stalkers. Nico hoped that people would believe the former. "Any idea where we're going?" she muttered to Nozomi, knowing she wasn't likely to get an answer from either of their guardians.

"No idea." Like Nico, Nozomi hadn't been told what was going on, but it must've been important, so she trusted Eli. "I'm sure they'll tell us when the time is right."

"That'd better be in like five minutes." It was more like ten. Nico didn't say anything more though, and she was relieved that they had finally reached... an unused building? "Oh Gods, this is where we're going to die."

"You're not going to die, idiot." Apparently Maki had heard her. Scowling, Nico was going to retort, but they had entered the empty building, and she found herself speechless as both Maki and Eli transformed before their eyes into humans.

"What are you two doing? Do you want to get caught or something?" Maybe Eli would do something so reckless, considering her current track record, but Maki? Nico couldn't believe she'd do something like this. ... What was really going?

"We're just waiting for the others." Maki responded evenly, giving up no further information. This was definitely weird. Maki usually wasn't the one who talked a lot. That would be Eli, yet she was hardly looking at them, instead choosing to look at her feet. Nico had a bad feeling about whatever was going on.

It didn't take long before others entered the building. First came Kotori and Honoka, followed shortly afterwards by Rin and Hanayo. While watching Honoka and Rin change into humans, Nico definitely did not feel good about what was going on. She could see looks of confusion on her friends' faces, but she wasn't sure if any of them were truly sure of what was going on.

"Kotori." Looking up, Kotori expected that Honoka would be talking to her, but it was Maki. Honoka was looking at her, but there was a strangely sad look in her eyes. "How are, uh... things going between you and Umi?"

"Hm? Oh, great!" Kotori smiled, loving to talk about Umi whenever she was given the chance. "She's so amazing and sweet and we shared our first kiss!" She covered a blushing cheek and closed her eyes. "It was only for a second but she has the sweetest lips."

"Uh, right, right..." Maki was blushing as well, looking pointedly away from Kotori, which led her eyes to Nico. "So you're... happy?"

"Well, yeah!" Nico's eyes widened as Kotori said those words, suddenly realizing exactly what was going on. She could see it in Maki's eyes as they stared at each other: happiness. That had been the key all along, hadn't it? Suddenly everything became clear, yet she couldn't find herself able to speak up. To tell the four of them the truth must be affecting them greatly, if their sad expressions weren't clear enough.

Why was Maki the one speaking up, though? After all this time of being reticent, why were things different? Was she not affected or something? Nico bristled at the thought. Was she not good enough to be sad over leaving? Maki had started to say something, but she wasn't listening. Anger got the best of her, though she didn't want to start a shouting match there and expose all of them. Instead, she tightened her hand into a fist and walked out of the building.

"Nico-chan?" Hanayo was the first to speak up, turning towards Nico as everybody just noticed her walking out. "Wh-Where is she going?" She looked at the rest of the group, but nobody knew what was going on. Hissing in annoyance, Maki was the one to act, opening up the door and turning back into a cat in a flash, disappearing from their view.

"Nico!" Maki hissed, stopping her in her tracks. Nico didn't look at her though, even as Maki came to stand next to her. "Where are you going?"

"I... Nowhere!" She didn't want to admit that she was hurt by the thought that, if their guardians had to leave, Maki wasn't at least a bit upset over it. It sounded selfish, but she at least wanted a sustained expression of sorrow. "What does it matter to you?"

"Wha- What do you mean what does it matter to me? I asked, didn't I?" Maki huffed in annoyance, wishing that she could argue in her human form. On all days for Nico to be cryptically obstinate, why did it have to be today? "Come back inside. We need to talk to all of you."

"Why not just tell me here then? Or do you not want to show how little you care to my face?"

"What are you talking about?" She could tell that Maki was getting frustrated, which gave her a guilty twinge of pride. It meant she was getting something out of Maki. "You don't even know what I'm going to tell you."

"I _do_ know what you're going to say, and I can see how much it affects you," Nico scoffed, feeling hurt and guilty at the same time. "You don't have to bother telling me, since I already know. Just go... tell all of them, and try not to be so- Ah!" Nico nearly jumped when Maki swiped at her leg, claws still sheathed. It hadn't really hurt, but she'd been caught by surprise. "What was that for?!"

"You're so... augh!" Having passed the tipping point of her frustration, Maki turned back into a human, catching Nico by surprise. This was even more risky than being in the building. Her surprise was quickly surpassed by further surprise when Maki first slapped her on the shoulder, then hugged her. "You're such an idiot, Nico."

"I... probably am. What are you doing?" Okay, so they'd had moments of emotional truthfulness before, but it wasn't something that occurred often, and certainly not physical contact. What was going on?

"You don't understand at all." Nico's breath hitched in her throat. It sounded like Maki was crying. "I'm trying to be strong in there, for Honoka and Rin. Do you think we'd be able to tell you all the truth if we were all crying?" Maki pulled away from Nico, tears clearly visible on her face. "It's hard for me too, whether you believe me or not. It... It really is."

"Maki..." She really felt guilty now. The pain was evident in Maki's eyes. It obviously affected her greatly, just like she said. Sighing, Nico pulled Maki back into a hug, muttering quietly against her. "I'm sorry... I just..." Gods, now _she_ was crying. "I didn't want to think of you leaving, or you... you know, not caring that you had to leave."

"Of course I care." Maki smiled softly, gently hugging Nico. "You may be stubborn, bullheaded, self-absorbed, sometimes insufferable..."

"I'm waiting for the 'but' part of this sentence."

"I'll get to it." Laughing, Maki shook her head slightly. " _But_ , you were my first charge, and... you helped me out, a lot more than you know. So thank you... for helping me to come to grips with things." Nico beamed at the praise, wiping the tears away before taking Maki's hand in her own. "Hm?"

"Well, you have to tell everyone something, right?" There was still sadness in her eyes, but also understanding. It wasn't going to be easy, but if Maki was trying to be strong, than she would too. "Come on, let's get back in before someone sees you." Maki shook her head again, smiling through the pain as she let Nico lead her back inside.

When they got back inside, all eyes turned to them. "Maki-chan? Are you okay?" Rin shot her a worried look. She still remembered trying to stop Maki from abandoning them over what was going on with Eli, and she really hoped nothing like that had happened again.

"Yes, I'm fine." Maki went back to standing next to Eli, giving Rin a reassuring smile. "Okay, so as I was saying..." She took a deep breath, composing herself as best she could. "Uh, well..." This was a lot harder to say in front of them than just in her head. She looked over at Nico, who gave her a thumbs up. Okay, she could do this...

"So, we've been watching you lately. I mean, we... w-we've always been watching you. Or, not, uh..." This was incredibly awkward. She'd never had to break news like this to people: she hadn't reached that part of her medical training. "Wh-What I mean is, you're all happy-"

"I'm not sure I'm feeling very happy," Nico interrupted with a smirk.

"N-Nico!" Nico laughed, waving her hand to let Maki know that she should continue. Flustered now, Maki had to compose herself once again. " _Besides_ Nico, all of you have become happier. We've noticed, and, uh, we're all really proud of you, and-"

"You're... leaving?" Nozomi spoke up, her voice understated as she looked not at Maki, but at Eli. For her part, Eli looked up at Nozomi, then back down, scuffing her shoe against the floor.

"Uh, yeah, I..." When the four of them had been discussing how they would tell their charges, the assumption had been that Eli would be the one to tell them. To their surprise, she had nominated Maki instead. This was why. She faltered significantly when it came to Nozomi. "We..."

"We all knew that we had to go someday." Maki answered for her, knowing that Eli was struggling. It was hard for her too, but this was going to happen, whether they liked it or not. Their charges deserved to know before their guardians disappeared for good. "I..."

"We did know this was going to happen." Nico stepped forward, standing between the two groups. There was still sadness in her eyes, but also a resolute knowledge of what needed to be said. "But... this doesn't have to be sad, ya know?" Despite saying that, there were now tears in her eyes. "I don't know about you all, but having Maki here has been... well, comforting." Her words made Maki blush, though she found herself smiling. Fidgeting slightly, Kotori spoke next.

"Um, N-Nico-chan's right. I... I don't know what I would've done without Honoka-chan." She smiled fondly at the memories. "She helped me become friends with Umi-chan, a-and it's changed my life."

"Y-Yeah!" Hanayo spoke up, then shrunk back upon realizing that everybody was looking at her. Slowly she forced herself to stop trying to withdraw into herself. "I-I mean, I-I feel more... um, c-confident after having met Rin-chan." There was more positivity going around, but one person remained curiously silent: Nozomi.

When Maki looked between them, neither Nozomi nor Eli were looking at each other, which worried her. She went over to Eli and gently put a hand on her shoulder. "Eli, you have to say something." She pointed at Nozomi for emphasis, though Eli looked too nervous to make this decision on her own. With a sigh, Maki grabbed Eli's hand and dragged her friend over towards Nozomi, who jolted upon realizing they were there.

"E-Elicchi..."

"Nozomi..."

"Maki." Grumbling, Maki pushed the two of them together. "This can't possibly be more awkward than making out on Nico's couch. Now stop being weird. Well, weirder than it usually is." Then she went to be by Nico, leaving the two of them alone. They just stood there silently at first, neither of them knowing what to say now that it was almost over.

"I'm sorry I didn't say anything," Eli whispered, rubbing her arm awkwardly. "I... didn't want to believe I would have to leave."

"I didn't either." Nozomi responded just as silently, her gaze trained on Eli. "But, I... I understand. You've done your duty here, and... well, Maki-chan's right. I am happier now, and it's all thanks to you." She smiled sadly, taking Eli's hand in hers. "When I was at my lowest, you were there for me, and there's no way I could ever truly thank you for what you've done."

Eli nodded weakly, chewing on her bottom lip. There was something that she had been considering for several days now, and she hoped that she was ready to fully commit herself to it. "Nozomi, I... I want to stay here with you."

"I wish you could stay too, Elicchi."

"No, I don't mean as a wish. I mean that I want to stay here, as in not going back with the rest of them."

"Wh-What?" Nozomi's eyes widened at Eli's proclamation. Hope flared in her chest at the words, but she forced herself to extinguish it. There was no way Eli could stay there. She belonged up there, with her friends. "B-But... What would happen to you if you forsook the Gods?"

"I... I don't know," Eli admitted, rubbing the back of her neck. "But I'm willing to accept whatever consequence may befall me if that means staying with you!" The dedication in her eyes made Nozomi feel weak, but she needed to be strong. As badly as it hurt to know that Eli would no longer be in her life, it wasn't worth it to let her stay if it meant condemning her for the rest of eternity. She could never pass on with that on her conscience.

"Elicchi, you're so sweet, but... I can't let you do that." Regret flashed in her eyes, but she forced herself to continue. "I'm not worth it, and-" She pressed on, not allowing Eli to argue that point. "And besides..." Smiling painfully, she wiped stray tears from her eyes. "You'll see me again, you know? Someday."

"Someday is too long without you," Eli whispered, finding herself crying as well. It was natural though, wasn't it? She hadn't expected it to hurt this much, but she had been dead wrong on that count. Why did Nozomi have to be so sensible? Well, someone had to be. She couldn't argue any more with what Nozomi was saying, so she just nodded slowly, falling into her charge's embrace.

It was starting to truly sink in that this was goodbye. Both Honoka and Hanayo had started to cry inconsolably against Kotori and Rin, who weren't holding onto their emotions much better. As for Nico and Maki, they were both standing next to each other somewhat awkwardly, neither of them very good at showing emotion around others. Their awkwardness was eventually interrupted by the buzzing of Nico's phone.

Pulling out her phone, she saw that it was her mother calling. Taking a deep breath, she answered it. "Hi mama." As much as she tried, her voice still wavered when she spoke. Luckily, it seemed that her mother didn't notice. "... Mhm. Yes, okay mama, I'll be home soon." She hung up, looking at Maki with apprehension. "Mama wants me back home to watch over my siblings."

"Right..." That meant it was time to go. Everyone else seemed to sense it as well, which meant the tears and the goodbyes flowed anew. Maki and Nico shared a final hug, then whispered goodbye to each other. Nico was able to stay relatively strong until Maki vanished from view, then her own tears truly began to fall.

Honoka was the next to disappear, giving Kotori one last tight hug before waving until she had completely vanished. Rin really didn't want to let go of Hanayo's hand, but she had to remind herself that there was confidence in her charge, confidence that was still growing, and would continue to grow. That was the comforting thought she had to focus on as their hands disentangled, and she disappeared as well.

Finally, Eli was the last one left. She knew that she had to say goodbye to Nozomi, but it hurt so badly to do so. Everybody was staring at her, but all she could concentrate on were the sad eyes of her charge. How could she leave?

Suddenly, Maki reappeared beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Eli, we have to go." Gulping, Eli nodded, squeezing Nozomi's hands tighter.

"W-Well, goodbye Nozomi." Eli tried to wipe away her tears, feeling her heart beat uncomfortably at the sad smile on Nozomi's face. "I, I... I love you."

"I love you too." Nozomi wiped her own tears away, slowly letting go of Eli's hand. She stepped back and waved, her heart already aching before Eli had even left. Maki gripped Eli's shoulder tightly so that she couldn't rush back towards Nozomi, looking over at Nico.

"See you later." She smiled, and then the two of them were gone. Nico looked around, as if expecting that they would still be in the building somewhere, while Kotori stifled a pained sob. An unsure silence settled upon them, until Nico remembered the call she'd just gotten.

"I... I have to go back home." There was no conviction in her voice, and nobody else responded. She wasn't sure what to say, so she just murmured a goodbye and shuffled sadly out of the building and back into the light. It seemed a lot darker than it had been when they'd walked in, but... it would be okay. She knew in her heart it would be okay, even if the pain would still be there for a long time. Right now though, her siblings needed her, and she needed to be strong for them.

She needed to be strong for her friends too.

* * *

When Hanayo got home, she immediately went to her room. Her mom had caught her about halfway there and asked her if she was ready for lunch, but for once she wasn't hungry at all. It felt like her appetite had been surgically removed from her body. She didn't want to think about food: she missed Rin.

As soon as she entered her room, she closed the door and pressed her back against it, sliding down to the floor with a sad sigh. It felt appropriate to cry, but after staying in that abandoned building with Kotori and sobbing for an hour, she didn't feel like there were any more tears left in her body. How was she going to explain to her parents where Onigiri had gone?

After a few minutes of sitting there motionless, Hanayo finally stood up and shambled over to her desk, flopping down into her chair and staring at the wall. She expected Rin to just appear and hop onto her lap, but she was the only presence in her room. It felt lonely. Sighing, she laid her head down on her desk and exhaled, blowing a piece of paper away from her face. Underneath it was another, smaller piece of paper: one that had something written on it. Lifting her head, Hanayo picked it up and read it.

 _Hi Kayo-chin! I'm probably not supposed to be doing this, so don't tell Eli-chan! I'm really sorry that I had to go, but I wanted to leave this so you'd always know how awesome you are! You're super talented and pretty too! I know how much you love idols, and if that's your dream, you should do it! Never forget how amazing you are, okay? Look up at the ceiling and promise! Love you, Kayo-chin! - Rin._ Right under her name was a doodle of a cat with 'nya!' written out next to it.

Well, apparently there were still more tears left in her. Hanayo clutched the note tightly to her chest, tears sliding freely down her cheeks once again. Rin... She missed her so much, but all she wanted was for Hanayo to not be scared and to follow her dreams. Thinking about what she'd just read made her smile through the tears, and she looked up to the ceiling, knowing that Rin would be listening.

"I-I promise, Rin-chan!"

* * *

The moment Umi saw Kotori sitting on the bench outside of the school, she knew something was wrong. She could see the sadness written all over Kotori's face, and she hurried over to figure out what was going on. "Kotori, what happened? What's wrong?"

"Oh Umi-chan, my..." Kotori stared at the ground, biting hard on her lip. She couldn't tell Umi that she was grieving over Honoka leaving. That was a secret she couldn't reveal to anyone, even to those closest to her. She would just have to say something as close to the truth as possible. "P-Pan... Sh-She died..." Well, it wasn't a lie.

"O-Oh. I'm... I'm really sorry." Umi gulped awkwardly, gently laying an arm around Kotori's shoulders. She wasn't too good at comforting, and she knew that saying the wrong thing could make things worse. It might also be bad if she stayed silent, though. "She was... a really great dog."

"Y-Yeah, she was." Kotori hid her face in her hands as she cried for what felt like the thousandth time in the last day. Gods, she missed Honoka so much. "I-It feels like I only just got her, a-and now she's gone!"

Umi tightened her grip on Kotori's shoulder, trying her best to come up with something meaningful to say. She wasn't dumb enough to suggest getting a new dog, since that had a hundred percent chance of more crying. Pan had seemed too vibrant to just... die. Something terrible must've happened, perhaps out of both of their control. Kotori was too pure to have to go through such a tragedy.

"W-Well, I know you miss Pan terribly, and if you ever need someone to talk to about her, I'm always available." She tried to give Kotori a reassuring smile, and she responded by flinging her arms around Umi and burying her face in the crook of her neck.

"Th-Thank you, Umi-chan. I-I don't think I could get through this without you." Umi gently ran her fingers through Kotori's hair, holding her as she cried. Things were going to be okay. At least, Umi hoped they would be. She wasn't planning on going anywhere, though. No matter what.

* * *

Sitting in the empty room where she used to pretend that she would become an idol someday, Nico rested her chin on her hand and sighed. Waking up without Maki there to casually dismiss her felt weird. At some point she had gotten used to it, and it threw her off to not have that in her routine anymore.

Of course, she wasn't the only one who was affected. Nozomi, who was sitting across from her at the table, looked downright miserable. Nico knew that she was taking the fact that Eli had to leave very hard, but she wasn't sure what to do. There wasn't much energy in her anyway.

"Hey, Nozomi." She let her chin slide off of her hand and laid her head down on the table, looking at Nozomi through half-lidded eyes. "You've still got those cards, don'tcha?"

"Huh?" Nozomi looked down at Nico, having been lost in her own sad thoughts. "My... Oh, my tarot cards?"

"Yeah, those." Tilting her head sideways, she kept staring lazily at Nozomi. "Why don't you, uh, look at them? I dunno, draw one of 'em and see what they say." She sighed and closed her eyes. "It'd be nice to think of something else right now." Nozomi hadn't expected to hear that from Nico, but it couldn't hurt... probably.

She reached into her backpack and pulled out the box where she kept her tarot cards, bringing them out and laying them on the table. Resting her hand above the deck, she closed her eyes, feeling a bit nervous. What if she pulled something that confirmed her sadness would continue unabated? She didn't know if she could deal with something like that. Still, she wouldn't know if she didn't try...

Just to get it over with, she quickly pulled the card off the top of the deck and flipped it over, laying it down in front of her on the table. She slowly opened her eyes to look down at it, her eyes soon widening at the familiarity of what she'd flipped over. A tear rolled down her cheek, but she was smiling. This seemed to confuse Nico, who was watching intently now.

"Nozomi? What is it?" She leaned over to look at the card, but she wasn't aware of what it meant.

"It's nothing, Nicocchi. It's just..." She smiled brightly at Nico, gently touching the card: _The High Priestess_. "I know they're still watching over us right now."

* * *

 **Epilogue**

"She really is taking her sweet ol' time, isn't she?" Nico tapped her fingers impatiently on the surface of the table, ignoring the giggle it drew from Nozomi.

"That's pretty morbid, Nicocchi."

"Yeah yeah, I know. I don't mean it like that. I just..." She gestured around at nothing in particular. "We just aren't a group without her, ya know?"

"Yeah, I do know." She smiled and patted Nico on the shoulder. "You should be more patient, like Kotori-chan."

"Are you serious? Do you know how many times I had to hear her talk about Umi until she finally got here?" Nico rolled her eyes, though she understood how Kotori had felt. "I could be a marine biologist with how many times she talked about Umi."

Nozomi giggled again, standing up and gesturing for Nico to do the same. "Why don't we go out and see if she's here?"

"Got a feeling?" Nico followed Nozomi away from the table and all the way towards a big, white gate, looking through the bars at the crowd of people milling around. "I don't see her."

"Ya gotta be patient, Nicocchi." She ignored Nico sticking her tongue out at her and watched as people started to file in. While she couldn't be too sure that Hanayo was there, she had a feeling... Eventually, a familiar face appeared within the crowd. Smiling, she waved and called out: "Hanayo-chan!"

Hanayo, who was shuffling along and fretting about, looked around at the sound of her name. Relief washed over her when she saw a familiar face. "Nozomi-chan!" Moving out of the line, she ran towards Nozomi and rushed into her embrace, crying tears of joy.

"It's so good to see you, Hanayo-chan." Nozomi smiled and ruffled Hanayo's hair, her smile quickly turning into a grin. "You know, I've learned quite a bit lately."

"O-Oh?" Hanayo wasn't exactly sure what Nozomi was getting at, but she'd learned that grin was usually teasing in nature.

"Like how you tried to get the courage to talk to me that day you met Rin-chan." Hanayo blushed hard, having wanted that fact to be kept forever secret. "You're adorable, Hanayo-chan. I would've loved to talk to you."

"I-I know that now." Trying to hide her blush, Hanayo looked away from both Nozomi and Nico, who was not at all trying to hide her laughter. "H-Hey, where's-" She cut herself off, hearing something in the distance. "Huh?"

"What?" Nico didn't hear anything at first, but it was getting louder, enough to where both Nozomi and her could hear it. "Oh jeez..." Both her and Nozomi took several steps back, leaving Hanayo alone where they'd just been standing.

"Hey, why are you backing up? What's going on?" Clueless, Hanayo strained herself to try and hear what was going on.

"Kyooo..." It was getting closer, and when she looked in the direction of where the noise was coming from, she saw a figure heading their way. "Kayoooo..." Huh, as it got closer, it sort of looked like...

"R-Rin-chan?!" She barely had time to react as an orange streak rushed towards her, taking her to the ground in a full-body tackle.

"Kayo-chin!" Emanating happiness, Rin laughed and kissed Hanayo all over, drawing embarrassed giggles from her former charge. "It's really you!"

"Y-Yes!" Hanayo squeaked, hugging Rin as tightly as she could. "I-I'm so happy to see you!" Neither of them noticed Nozomi and Nico walking over to them, both of them wearing similar smiles as they pulled Rin off of Hanayo.

"Alright you two." Nico chopped Rin on the head, spinning her around to face where they all normally sat. "Let's get going before you scare everybody. Besides, the rest of 'em are waiting for you."

"S-Sorry," Hanayo apologized, but neither Nico or Nozomi seemed actually annoyed. She followed the three of them around the glittering beauty of her new home until they reached a set of pearly-white tables. There were a lot of familiar faces there, and they all turned to see who was walking over.

"Hanayo-chan!" Kotori got out of her seat - which was actually just Umi's lap - and ran over to give Hanayo a hug. Hanayo happily reciprocated, not even feeling self-conscious with everyone looking at her. "It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too." Now that she was surrounded by all her friends again, everything seemed right. She got to go around and say hi to everybody again. Honoka, like Rin, was very eager to say hello, while Eli and Umi were more cool and calm. Probably the most surprising greeting was Maki giving her a hug, since from what Nico had told her, she wasn't all that into physical contact.

There was a question she wanted to ask, though. After all the hugs and hellos, she went over to Umi, who was back to snuggling with Kotori. "Uh, Umi-chan?"

"Yes Hanayo?" Both her and Kotori looked at Hanayo with a smile, waiting for what she was going to say.

"I-I was wondering, was it weird to figure out about how all of our pets were angels?"

"To tell you the truth, it was shocking at first. I definitely did not expect that Kotori's dog had been a denizen of Heaven." Umi chuckled, kissing Kotori's cheek. "But I understand why she had to keep that a secret. I don't know if I would've believed her if she'd told me back then."

"Aww. Umi-chan wouldn't have believed me?"

"O-Of course I would've! I-I didn't mean-" Both Kotori and Hanayo giggled. She hadn't thought of Umi as someone who would get flustered like that. Apparently Kotori had some special powers of her own.

She left the two lovebirds to their own devices and went to find Rin, who wasn't really that hard to find. Hanayo found herself nearly bowled over by her the moment she had walked away from Kotori and Umi. "Doesn't it feel strange, Rin-chan? To have all of us here again after all these years?"

"Mm... Nope!" Rin gave her that familiar chesire grin. "It feels right. We bonded together, so it makes sense that we'd all be here!" Hanayo couldn't help but smile due to Rin's infectious happiness. She was right, too. As Hanayo looked over everyone sitting and talking amicably, she knew that this was how it was supposed to be.

"You're right, Rin-chan. It's all so, so..."

"Purrfect?" Rin grinned, laughing as she heard a chorus of boos rain down on her.

"Gods, Rin, that was awful." Maki groaned and rolled her eyes, giving Rin a thumbs down. "How dare you even say that."

"I wasn't even a cat," Honoka pouted, pretending to growl at Rin, who just laughed.

"You liked it, right Kayo-chin?" Rin turned to Hanayo expectantly, and she giggled at the adorable smile on Rin's face. She leaned in and gave Rin a kiss on the cheek.

"I loved it, Rin-chan." Puns aside, Rin was right again. After all they went through with their guardians, it only made sense that they'd end up together once again, exactly where fate wanted them to be. Everything really did end up perfect.

* * *

 **Author's Note 2:** Well, this is the end. Epilogue and all. It's been a long journey since I started this back in September 2015. I never thought it'd end up being 31 chapters, but the story just kept growing. I still do have plans to add at least one extra chapter, but it'll be with the charges, so it's post-story (but pre-epilogue). I'm gonna put the story as complete though, since for all intents and purposes, it is. Thank you to everyone who's stuck around from chapter one to now, and thank you to everyone who's found this story along the way and read it, whether it was one chapter or all thirty-one! It's been a blast.


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